KEF ROBOTICS TO DEMONSTRATE "TAILWIND" AUTONOMY CAPABILITIES ON MULTIPLE AIRCRAFT IN SUPPORT OF FUTURE DISMOUNTED INFANTRY PLATOONS FOR THE US ARMY
PITTSBURGH, PA
KEF Robotics, the leading developer of vision-based autonomy for aircraft, has been awarded new contract from National Advanced Mobility Consortium (NAMC) to support the Army Futures Command’s Robotic and Artificial Intelligence (RAI) 10x Dismounted Infantry Platoon, a rapid integration and demonstration effort which will showcase the utility of advanced robotic assets to the soldier.
Small, affordable, and capable aircraft have become a crucial component on the battlefield, supplanting more expensive aircraft to provide critical intelligence and aerial support for dismounted soldiers.
10x is an Army effort to help US soldiers understand battlefields and make agile decisions ten times faster than what they can do today. The companies selected will demonstrate how their respective technologies can facilitate Manned-Unmanned Teaming (MUM-T), where infantry alongside unmanned assets–both ground and aerial–work in tandem with and upgrade the warrior and platoon tactics.
KEF Robotics is providing the company’s “TailWind” software to provide autonomous capabilities on two types of aircraft, including site reconnaissance and surveillance, sub-canopy aerial traverse and terrain mapping, and operator-assisted building entry and clearance. KEF will support and work alongside fellow selectees including Lockheed Martin, Dragonfly Pictures (DPI), Neya Systems and others to advance the warfighters’ capabilities. Tailwind will run on aircraft built by DPI and Vantage Robotics, including Vantage’s “Vesper”, a small blue UAS.
“As much as I’m excited to deploy our software during the 10X demos, I’m just as eager for the opportunity to receive feedback from soldiers on what doesn’t work,” said KEF’s Eric Amoroso. “We appreciate the focus on rapid deployment and on the risks and leadership role that Army Futures Command and NGCV are taking in trying to get robotics ‘right’ for the soldier.”
The demonstrations will take place in Ft. Moore in September 2024.
For more information about this project, please contact:
Deena McIntosh
Contract Administrator, NAMC
Fraser Kitchell
Chief Executive Officer, KEF
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About KEF: KEF Robotics provides state-of-the-art autonomy software to fly aircraft without a human pilot. A computer vision company at its core, KEF’s algorithms leverage cameras to enable autonomous flight across a variety of platforms and use cases. Our mission is to improve the safety and reliability of aircraft, expand their range and utility, and allow them to fly without GPS in uncooperative environments. KEF supports DoD customers including Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA), Special Operations Command (SOCOM) Army, and Air Force.
About NAMC: NAMC’s Members represent nearly 500 organizations, including large traditional defense contractors, non-traditional defense contractors (NDCs), small businesses, non-profit organizations, and academic institutions. Small businesses and NDCs each respectively make up nearly 70% of NAMC’s total membership. These organizations provide unique insights and solutions for the Government based on previous experience in commercial applications.
