In partnership with North Atlantic Treaty Organization Allied Command Transformation, Joint Force Development Directorate, Operational Experimentation branch, DroneUp conducted an experiment on Sept. 21 in Lawrenceville, Virginia that was designed to determine if autonomous delivery of a specified payload to identified recipients under field conditions could be proven viable.

The special operations experimental team also included Pale Horse Weapons Institute, Daniel Defense, Ultimate Training Munitions (UTM), and WeaponLogic.

For the operational experiment, DroneUp provided a patent-pending technology delivery solution and experiment execution. Lieutenant Colonel Michael Atkinson, MBE, British Army, led the experiment.

The experiment requirements included: identifying and delivering a specified payload to three different recipients; delivering payloads unique to each recipient; drones locating the recipient; drones delivering the payload autonomously (pilotless); and visual confirmation of the correct unique payload. The requirements also had to prove where the recipient was either static or mobile.

“Drone deliveries create numerous opportunities. By allowing for variable delivery destinations that can be transmitted and updated in real-time, we’ve taken it to orders of magnitude over the traditional point-to-point drops. Additionally, when paired with automated logistics, the ability to get the right supplies, to the right people, at just-in-time speed creates a powerful platform for land, sea, and air,” explains John Vernon, CTO of DroneUp.

“By combining the right location information, signaling, and management tools, we’ve created an intermodal solution that quickly addresses what is needed and the best way to get it where it needs to go. Then we’ve placed the power in the requestor’s hands to determine when, how, and where the delivery will take place. We see this as a game-changing opportunity.”

DroneUp, OPEX, and the special operations teams used dedicated colored UTM training ammunition to test and demonstrate the accuracy and reliability of an autonomous drone in take-off, flight, location of, and delivery to a specified recipient in open terrain – with no external assistance.

After the successful experiment, DroneUp and OPEX believe that this capability has “vast utility” across several military and deployed roles, but especially in emergency medical resupply and the assistance of isolated personnel. To further develop concepts, the experiment findings and data will be shared across several Allied Command Transformation branches.

“ACT is committed to energizing innovation that specifically targets the military utility of emerging technology,” says Brigadier General Dieter KOHL, German Army, Headquarters Supreme Allied Commander Transformation, Innovation Champion.

“Concept Development and Experimentation is a crucial element of Warfare Development, the ‘Autonomous Last-Mile Experiment’ sets an example for assessing possible military applications of new technologies.”