Feature: Marine and aerospace
The role of AI in drone systems
By Martin Frederiksen, Managing Director, Recab
suggests that AI in military is projected to grow to $8.7bn by 2022, from $5.42bn in 2016, a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14.75%. Unsurprisingly then, governments are
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speeding their investment in AI for the defence sector. One example is the US Department of Defence, which is financing a robotic submarine system to detect underwater mines. On land and in the air, drones can prove highly useful for detecting and recognising targets, making military operations more accurate.
AI-based technology Compared with conventional systems, AI-based military drones show increased self-control, self-regulation and self-actuation of combat systems and can process bigger amounts of data. Tey are also increasingly equipped with machine learning (ML) algorithms that accelerate identification and recognition of objects, obstacles and personnel. Tis highly sophisticated use of artificial
intelligence is supported by general-purpose graphics processing unit (GPGPU) technology. AI-enabled, GPGPU-based, high-performance embedded computing systems are essential to at-a-distance piloting of drones, ensuring greater safety for military personnel by placing
36 April 2021
www.electronicsworld.co.uk
rtificial intelligence (AI) is becoming crucial in military technologies and more recently it has revolutionised the use of drones. A recent MarketsandMarkets report
more distance between them and the target. GPGPU-accelerated technology is also
crucial in image-processing applications, such as enemy vehicle detection and missile guidance. Te drone captures real-time data during flight, processes it in real time with on-board intelligence, and makes an autonomous decision. To ensure that drones are most
effective, they must be equipped with strong computing capabilities. Recab UK distributes high-standard rugged computing systems, developed by military market leader Aitech. One such product is the rugged Aitech A178 Tunder, a small form factor (SFF) GPGPU AI supercomputer that combines a rugged infrastructure with a SWaP-optimised design. Due to its compact dimensions, weighing only 5.5lbs and measuring 8.5” x 3.2” x 6.8”, the A178 is ideal for AI applications in military and defence environments.
A178 Thunder Te A178 Tunder is available with the powerful NVIDIA Jetson AGX Xavier System-on-Module that provides 512 CUDA cores and 64 Tensor cores, reaching 32 TOPS (INT8) and 11 TFLOPS (FP16) at a remarkable level of energy efficiency. Te system combines the Volta GPU with an ARM 8-core CPU, memory and many other processing elements, and focuses on deep- learning inference, which makes it ideal for AI applications.
DPI021 – AI in drone systems Te A178 is also currently one of the
smallest and most powerful rugged- GPGPU AI supercomputers, providing the most advanced solution for AI, deep learning and video and signal processing. Tese features allow for better intelligence, more intuitive computing capabilities and increased system performance. Of course, a key consideration in the
development of embedded computing systems on drones is the capacity for the GPGPU to work with a wide range of data inputs and outputs. It’s here that Recab UK’s expertise in military baseboard design and system development come to the fore. Te company has worked closely with many military and defence organisations to develop cutting-edge defence systems.
New technologies New technologies based on AI and strong GPGPU processing will revolutionise warfare. Enabling effective computing ensures that intelligence and defence operations are carried out in safe and efficient manner. From piloting vehicles to processing
images and managing large volumes of data, AI-enabled drone systems are the future of the modern airspace.
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