TL;DR:
- Daedalean and Xwing, leaders in autonomous aviation, join forces to advance AI technology in aviation.
- Partnership involves sharing data, knowledge, and methodologies related to AI and machine learning.
- Focus on certifying machine learning-based systems for civil aviation in collaboration with FAA and EASA.
- Daedalean is developing a fully autonomous flight control system called PilotEye, working with Avidyne and Reliable Robotics.
- Xwing is working on autonomous flight control for legacy aircraft models, starting with the Cessna 208B Grand Caravan.
- Xwing achieves successful fully autonomous gate-to-gate missions, emphasizing safety and innovation.
Main AI News:
In a groundbreaking partnership, autonomous aviation leaders Daedalean and Xwing have united their expertise to propel artificial intelligence (AI) to new heights in the aviation industry. Their collaborative effort entails the exchange of invaluable data, knowledge, and methodologies relating to AI and machine learning, both central to their mission of developing cutting-edge software for autonomous flight systems retrofitting conventional aircraft.
A pivotal facet of this endeavor revolves around the certification of machine learning-based systems for civil aviation, a milestone yet to be achieved. Daedalean and Xwing have embarked on a close-knit collaboration with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) to pioneer certification standards for this revolutionary technology. The partnership’s overarching objective is to forge a consensus on design assurance processes, thus expediting the formulation of these much-needed standards.
Luuk van Dijk, the co-founder, and CEO of Daedalean, emphasized the significance of collaboration in this nascent industry, stating, “In this emerging industry, it’s as crucial to collaborate with fellow pioneers as it is to partner with regulators around the world. With this shared undertaking, we will be able to demonstrate that increasing safety is driving innovation and that a collaborative approach to harmonize regulations and standards ensures that best practices are universally adopted.“
Based in Switzerland, Daedalean is at the forefront of developing a fully autonomous, vehicle-agnostic flight control system, poised to revolutionize aviation by enabling pilotless flights across a diverse range of aircraft and rotorcraft. Their pioneering technology, spearheaded by the PilotEye initiative, leverages a fusion of cameras, sensors, and AI-powered software to deliver comprehensive situational awareness. Daedalean’s strategic partnership with Florida-based avionics specialist Avidyne and autonomous flight systems developer Reliable Robotics further exemplifies their commitment to innovation.
On the other side of the continent, California-based Xwing is making significant strides in developing a comparable autonomous flight control system tailored for legacy airplane models, with the Cessna 208B Grand Caravan as the initial target. Xwing has already achieved remarkable milestones by successfully conducting fully autonomous gate-to-gate missions, including taxiing, takeoff, and landing, in April 2021, with safety pilots onboard as a precaution.
Maxime Gariel, President and Chief Technology Officer of Xwing, underscores their dedication to safety and innovation, stating, “At Xwing, we balance our commitment to a strong safety culture with our push for technical innovation. Our collaboration with Daedalean underscores this philosophy and the importance we place on sharing data, knowledge, and processes to inform a credible path forward toward certification for the industry as a whole as we work closely with regulators.”
Conclusion:
The strategic partnership between Daedalean and Xwing signifies a significant step forward in the aviation industry’s adoption of AI technology. Their collaborative efforts to establish certification standards and develop autonomous flight systems demonstrate a commitment to safety, innovation, and the potential for transformative change in the aviation market. This alliance positions them as pioneers in the burgeoning field of autonomous aviation, with the potential to reshape the industry’s future.
