A system which provides a single pilot with the ability to fly their own aircraft… while simultaneously directing up to four further unmanned aircraft has been successfully demonstrated from the cockpit of a military jet for the first time. The system, developed by QinetiQ and funded by the UK Ministry of Defense (MoD), gives unmanned aircraft an advanced level of independence and intelligence, or autonomy.

Representatives with QinteiQ tell ANN a series of successful flight trials were flown using a Tornado as the command and control aircraft and a BAC 1-11 trials aircraft acting as a “surrogate” unmanned air vehicle (UAV). The Tornado pilot also had responsibility for commanding a further three simulated UAVs.

The demonstration flights were conducted last week, taking off from MoD Boscombe Down in Wiltshire, and flying largely in uncontrolled airspace over southwest England. Throughout the sorties a mixed RAF and QinetiQ flight crew was retained on the 1-11 for safety monitoring and control during takeoff and landing. QinetiQ’s Tornado Integrated Avionics Research Aircraft (TIARA), flown by an RAF test pilot, then assumed control of the 1-11 surrogate UAV and three simulated UAVs for the middle section of each flight.

Working in combination, the Tornado and four UAVs carried out a simulated ground attack on a moving target. The sophisticated computer on the UAVs allowed them to act autonomously — self-organize, communicate, sense their environment — including possible enemies — and target their weapons.

Source and more info: aero-news