Industry and DoD organizations working to mature autonomous software capabilities so they can scale across aerial platforms have to move their software out of the lab and conduct flight testing. In-flight testing, however, is a complex, time consuming, and costly endeavor that has potentially slowed the introduction of autonomy across services.
To remove some of those barriers and speed delivery of autonomous platforms to the force, Northrop Grumman has developed a testbed ecosystem that includes an aircraft already configured for uncrewed flight with the ability to integrate third-party autonomy software for testing. The integrated test environment is called Beacon, and it includes a Scaled Composites-built Model 437 Vanguard aircraft modified for optionally autonomous flight, enabled by Northrop Grumman’s autonomous software and digital ecosystem.
Designed to rapidly test and deliver new autonomous solutions at scale, Beacon was developed to mature mission autonomy software in an integrated, operationally relevant domain. It provides an environment that mimics relevant mission scenarios, and gives third-parties an opportunity to test and refine their autonomy and mission solutions through Northrop Grumman’s flight hardware, autonomous flight software, integration expertise, and open-access approach aligned with government reference architectures, at a reduced time and cost.
“Beacon is sixth-generation autonomous software development that’s backed by our decades of leadership in designing and building operational autonomous aircraft,” said Tom Jones, corporate vice president and president, Aeronautics Systems, Northrop Grumman. “It’s serving as a bridge across industry to significantly reduce the time and cost it takes to bring new autonomous mission capabilities to our customers.
“The demand for new autonomous capability has grown exponentially. Northrop Grumman has answered that call by investing in bringing together industry partners who are innovating new solutions with those who have the production and operational experience at scale to deliver it.”
Partners onboard Beacon
Beacon will accelerate software deployment, reduce risk, and improve readiness for Northrop Grumman’s partners and customers in the development of key autonomous capabilities and support future aircraft programs.
Northrop Grumman recently announced the first six strategic partners who will use its Beacon testbed ecosystem to rapidly test and deliver new autonomous solutions at scale. The initial partners who will test and refine their solutions with Beacon are Applied Intuition, Autonodyne, Merlin, Red 6, Shield AI and SoarTech, an Accelint company. A series of flight demonstrations are planned for this year.
“Beacon is about collaboration across the industry between companies of all sizes and expertise,” said Jones. “By providing open access to the Beacon ecosystem, we’re enhancing the innovation, new competition and ultimately improving the autonomous capabilities that industry can deliver to our customers – with unmatched speed and at scale.”
Built on decades of autonomy experience and more than 500,000 autonomous flight hours, Northrop Grumman’s Beacon ecosystem connects the best of industry, paving the way for the future of autonomy.