Assign mission intent
The operator defines a route, area or target to observe; the aircraft builds a plan onboard instead of receiving continuous stick input.
Platform Autonomy
Drone Autonomy Suite
Turn Drones Into Autonomous Mission Platforms
Onboard autonomy for navigation, mission execution, sensor control, target tracking and autonomous mission behaviors.
The Drone Autonomy Suite is onboard software that turns an existing UAS into a mission system: the operator assigns intent and the aircraft plans, navigates, observes and reports on its own. It runs on the same edge computer as Neuronic video analytics, so the drone can navigate without GNSS, keep a sensor on an area of interest and continue the mission when the radio link degrades.
Overview
What the Drone Autonomy Suite does
The Drone Autonomy Suite is an onboard autonomy layer that upgrades existing UAS from remotely piloted aircraft into mission systems that execute intent. The operator assigns a mission; the aircraft plans, flies, observes and reports.
Autonomy runs on the drone alongside Neuronic video analytics, so perception and behaviour share the same edge computer: the aircraft can find a target, follow it, keep a gimbal locked on an area of interest and continue the mission when the operator is busy or the link degrades.
The suite integrates with common autopilots and payloads through MAVLink and ROS, and supports cooperative operations where several aircraft, or aircraft and ground robots, work the same mission under NOMAD.
Capabilities
Core capabilities
- Autonomous navigation and route execution
- Mission execution from operator-assigned intent
- Autonomous target following
- Area-of-interest (AOI) tracking and orbit
- Gimbal and payload control tied to detected targets
- Configurable mission behaviors
- Communication-loss behavior and safe continuation
- Payload and sensor integration
- Cooperative and multi-drone operations
- Counter-UAS support: autonomous interception patterns and target observation
How it works
How the Drone Autonomy Suite works
From sensor input to actionable output in four steps.
Execute the mission onboard
The suite navigates, controls the gimbal and manages communications-loss behaviour using the autopilot and payload interfaces over MAVLink and ROS.
Detect and follow targets
When paired with Neuronic video analytics, the drone can find a target, follow it and keep the gimbal locked without tying up a pilot.
Continue when the link degrades
Because the mission and perception run at the edge, the aircraft keeps working if the control link drops or bandwidth collapses.
Use cases
Where it's used
Typical situations this system is deployed in, and what it solves in each one.
Flying where there is no GPS signal
Indoors, in urban canyons and close to structures the drone navigates from what it sees, so the flight continues without satellite positioning.
Carrying on when the radio link drops
The mission is held onboard. If the link is lost the drone keeps to its task or returns safely instead of stopping mid-air.
Scouting ahead of the team
The drone flies a route or an area on its own, observes from a safe distance, and follows what it finds.
Working together with ground robots
Several drones, or a drone and a ground robot, can share a task — one finds something, the other goes and checks it.
Integration
Interfaces and integration
Built to drop into an existing architecture — standard interfaces, standard hardware, no forced replacement of fielded systems.
- Autopilot interface: MAVLink (PX4, ArduPilot and compatible flight stacks)
- Middleware: ROS / ROS 2 nodes for perception, planning and payload control
- Perception: native integration with the Neuronic Video Analytics Suite
- Comms: operates with the Tactical Video & Teleoperation Suite over RF, mesh and cellular
- C2: mission assignment, status and target reporting to NOMAD and ATAK
Demos
See it running
Drone Autonomous Target Tracking
A drone detects a moving ground target, follows it autonomously and keeps the gimbal locked while continuing its mission without continuous operator control.
FPV Loitering with Raspberry Pi
A low-cost FPV drone fitted with a Raspberry Pi companion computer holds a loiter pattern around a point of interest while streaming video and telemetry.
Related
Works with
Video Analytics Suite
Edge-AI video analytics for automatic detection, classification and persistent tracking from EO and IR video.
NOMAD Tactical Robotic C2
A tactical command-and-control platform for coordinating drones, UGVs, robotic dogs, sensors and observation posts through one operational interface.
FAQ
Common questions about the Drone Autonomy Suite
Plain-language answers for integrators, procurement teams and operators.
- Which autopilots are supported?
- The suite interfaces over MAVLink with PX4, ArduPilot and compatible flight stacks, so it works with most tactical and commercial UAS already in service.
- Does it require GPS to fly?
- No. Visual-inertial navigation lets the aircraft operate indoors, in urban canyons and in other GNSS-denied environments.
- What happens if the radio link drops?
- Communication-loss behaviour is configurable: the drone can continue the mission, hold position, orbit a point of interest or return to base safely.
- Can one operator manage multiple drones?
- Yes. The suite supports cooperative and multi-drone operations, and several aircraft can be supervised through NOMAD Tactical Robotic C2.
- What onboard hardware does it need?
- It runs on NVIDIA Jetson class edge computers. Lower-cost platforms such as a Raspberry Pi companion computer can host lighter autonomy behaviours like autonomous loiter.
- Does it work with existing gimbals and payloads?
- Yes. Gimbal and payload control are tied to detected targets and mission intent through MAVLink and ROS.
Discuss your platform and mission
Tell us the platform, sensor and mission. We will walk you through integration options and arrange a technical demonstration.