The Autonomous Aerial Cargo/Utility System (AACUS) is an Office of Naval Research (ONR) Innovative Naval Prototype (INP) program with a fiscal year 2012 start, sponsored through the ONR's Office of Innovation. The need for AACUS stems primarily from U.S. Marine Corps requirements for "an alternate means to provide time-sensitive logistics support to greatly disbursed locations. Cargo UASs can provide a solution to move tailored ammunition, supplies, fuel/water, or weapons packages in adverse weather from the sea or ashore over harsh terrain as required (24/7).” Universal Needs Statement (UNS) For the Cargo UAS
While VTOL systems have significant advantages over other means of resupply and evacuation, including avoidance of improvised explosive devices and greater speed over trucks, manned VTOL aircraft are often limited by weather, hostile conditions, and manning constraints, which are mitigated when using unmanned aerial vehicles. Recent progress has been made in Cargo Unmanned Aerial System (CUAS) autonomous cargo drops and deliveries, however, such advances rely upon the presence of prepared, obstacle free landing sites as well as trained CUAS operators with some level of control over flight parameters.
The AACUS INP represents a substantial leap over both present-day operations as well as other more near-term CUAS development programs as it is focused on autonomous obstacle avoidance and unprepared landing site selection, with precision landing capabilities including contingency management until the point of landing. AACUS includes a goal-based supervisory control component such that any field personnel can request and negotiate a desired landing site. Moreover, this system will communicate with ground personnel for seamless and safe loading and unloading.
Another unique aspect of the AACUS INP is its portability - this system will be VTOL platform agnostic with an associated open architecture framework that allows it to be used across different air vehicle platforms.