Windraces and Purdue University Announce AI Aviation Center

Windracers has partnered with Perdue University to establish the world’s first center for AI for aviation. Windracers is a UK-based cargo vehicle operator that provides service globally and is a leader in the autonomous air transportation industry. The Center on AI for Digital, Autonomous, and Augmented Aviation (AIDA3) was announced recently, which is a major move for advancing progress on technologies related to unmanned aerial vehicles. 

AI Aviation Center AIDA3

Purdue University is working on making aerial transportation systems safe, scalable, and efficient and has launched a center for integrating artificial intelligence and machine learning into them. The executive vice president for research at Perdue, Karen Plaut, said

“Purdue is very proud to partner with Windracers because AIDA3 is focused on solving pressing societal needs.”

He also said, 

“What we develop in the laboratory will be designed to make a difference when put into real-world practice. Purdue’s research strengths and success in aviation and AI — linked with Windracers’ expertise in transportation of the future — makes for a powerful innovation engine.” Source: Purdue University.

According to the university, AIDA3 will help in providing innovative solutions for UAVs and other autonomous vehicle systems, and their focus will be on scaling up these solutions as the demand grows in the industry.

From the crossroads to the smart crossroads of America

On the project page of Purdue’s website, the university says that Indiana is considered the crossroads of America, and they are striving to make it the smart crossroads of America. As according to estimates, over 1 million commercial UAVs will be flying across the US performing more duties than just delivering packages by 2027. These unmanned systems will be used in fighting wildfires, defense, humanitarian services, and also emergency services.

It is due to this demand, which is expected in the near future, that the university has launched the center. Whatever smart solution will be developed in the center will be put to the test in real life. Mentioning AIDA3 as the first major progress of Purdue’s Institute for Physical Artificial Intelligence (IPAI), Sabine Brunswicker, director of the center, said,

“With IPAI, we focus on practical innovations that bring together the ‘bytes of AI’ and the ‘atoms of what we grow, make and move,’ and AIDA3 will make this reality in the realm of aviation transportation. We are thrilled to be undertaking this journey with our partners at Windracers.” Source: Purdue University.

The combination of Windracers and Perdue is a match well made, as Windracers is a champion of low-cost logistic solutions and will provide a real-life experience that they gained from their business operations based on their patented autopilot system for the Royal Navy, British Antarctic Survey, and Royal Mail. While Perdue boasts an extensive research profile across many fields of engineering, science, and arts. Windracers will also bring two of their long-range, fixed-wing UAVs to support the research and development work of AIDA3.

The university’s project page can be seen here.