Antex-M

From ASASF

ANTEX-M

Introduction and Objectives

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The ANTEX-M (Acronym for the Portuguese meaning "Aeronave Não-Tripulada Experimental - Militar") is a Portuguese Air Force Academy (AFA) project for Unmanned Air Vehicles (UAVs).

The main objective of this project is to promote, in AFA, activities of Research and Development (R&D) on several areas of interest for the Portuguese Air Force (FAP) in aeronautical field, specially in UAVs.

The ANTEX-M doesn't have, in a first sight, the meaning of develop fully operational aircrafts for FAP missions. The main missions that are required concerns with technology demonstrations to give support to the R&D activities develop by AFA researchers. Some of the areas that ANTEX-M platforms may have to be able to demonstrate technologies in a short period of time are:

- Control systems for UAVs;
- Development of intelligent structures for detection of defects in aircrafts;
- GNSS navigation system based on signals Galileo for UAVs;
- Mixed initiative for control of autonomous team vehicles;

Despite this kind of application areas, it is an interesting issue to demonstrate some missions which could be covered by this kind of aircrafts in a more operational medium concerning with the advantages of not having a pilot on board. So it is desirable that ANTEX-M platforms could be able to cover a wide spectrum of missions:

- Coast surveillance;
- Sea pollution control;
- Air photographies;
- Perimeters vigilance;
- Following mobile targets;
- ...

ANTEX-M is a multi-disciplinary project, evolving AFA researchers from the areas of electrical engineering and aeronautical engineering, one technical for the construction of the platforms and for piloting in Remote Pilot Vehicle (RPV) mode, AFA students from several areas and AFA technicals to give some support to the operation and construction of the platforms.

The project ANTEX-M involves cooperation with national and international institutes and universities: AsasF Project from Engineering Faculty of University of Oporto (FEUP), Technical Institute of the Technical Lisbon University (IST), Institute of Geodesy and Navigation of University of the Federal Armed Forces Munich and Victoria University.