BAE Systems, QinetiQ to Collaborate on Autonomous Uncrewed Air Systems

BAE Systems and QinetiQ have entered into a framework agreement that outlines their collaboration in the field of autonomous unmanned air systems (UAS) and mission management systems.

The framework agreement will explore the potential to collaborate and develop a family of UAS, and associated mission management systems, to support interoperability with existing and future crewed and uncrewed systems; generating operational effects and providing a concentration of combat air power.

The autonomous mission management system enables operators to use a mix of crewed and uncrewed assets collaboratively on the battlefield, all managed by a human decision maker.

In the first stage of the collaboration, the joint team will explore the use of BAE Systems’ autonomous mission management system on uncrewed platforms developed by both companies to work alongside each other - and with existing and future crewed and uncrewed combat aircraft.

Under the framework agreement signed at DSEI in London, each company will continue to develop their own UAS aligned to a common product strategy that will enable effective collaboration on existing and future crewed and uncrewed platform concept development.

The framework agreement will see BAE Systems and QinetiQ continue to work together with the relevant regulatory bodies to help develop the appropriate clearance processes for autonomous systems.