Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Systems Association ASTRAEA

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ASTRAEA

The ASTRAEA Project was first conceived by the UAVS Council in 2004. It recognised that the UK UAV industry needed to collaborate on its research to make the industry stronger for the future.

ASTRAEA was a pioneering £32 million aerospace programme running from early 2006 to the end of 2008 that addressed key technological and regulatory issues in order to open up non-segregated airspace to unmanned autonomous aircraft.

ASTRAEA involved a consortium of major aerospace companies, including BAE Systems, EADS, Cobham, QinetiQ, Rolls-Royce, and Thales, working with autonomous systems specialist Agent Oriented Software, many of the most innovative small companies in the sector, and leading academic minds.

ASTRAEA was one of a number of aerospace technology validation programmes attracting Government investment at DBERR and regional level to ensure that the aerospace industry maintains its global strength and develops world class technologies in line with the National Aerospace Technology Strategy.

The success of ASTRAEA both in terms of collaboration and technological output is unquestioned. As a result the UK is recognised as the leading national authority on future autonomous UAV operations in controlled airspace. UAVS is keen to maintain this lead and is fully supportive of the same consortium's bid for follow-on funding. UAVS' Chairman recently wrote to the Chairman of the UK Technology Strategy Board urging the Technology Strategy Board to support this initiative.

For more information on ASTRAEA, visit the project website.