Airbus testing Dragonfly-inspired autonomous flight tech

Airbus UpNext, a subsidiary of commercial aircraft maker Airbus, is testing an autonomous flight solution inspired by a dragonfly’s 360 degree view that allows it to see in all directions and recognise familiar locations and objects faster. 

The testing is part of the firm’s DragonFly project and is being conducted by Airbus UpNext on an A350-1000 test aircraft.  

Through the project, Airbus UpNext is looking to assess the viability of developing more autonomous flying systems, which it believes has the potential to improve the safety and efficiency of air travel. 

The Dragonfly project was first announced in July 2022. The firm said that this year they will focus on things like refining the computer vision algorithms that underpin the landing and taxi assistance procedures. 

Engineers have placed three external cameras directly below the flight deck glass of the A350 and are currently mulling sensor deployment on commercial airliners. 

The Airbus UpNext team completed the system's initial deployment in December. The system includes Very High Frequency (VHF) and Ultra High Frequency (UHF) communication technologies. It has flown with specially trained French air traffic controllers simulating medical emergencies.

"These tests are one of several steps in the methodical research of technologies to further enhance operations and improve safety," Isabelle Lacaze, head of DragonFly demonstrator, Airbus UpNext, said in a statement.  

As part of the flight testing, a simulated crew member scenario was also managed while aiding the pilots in-flight and during landing. A new flight trajectory plan was created and communicated with Air Traffic Control. 

Taxi assistance features were also investigated by UpNext and were put through real-world testing at Toulouse-Blagnac Airport. The equipment helped the crew avoid danger by sounding off warnings of nearby objects, aided in maintaining a steady pace, and directed them to the runway.