The Pentagon envisions a future where autonomous drones execute military maneuvers with minimal human intervention, and recent AI advancements have brought that vision closer to reality. However, achieving seamless communication between drones from various manufacturers remains a significant challenge during warfare. Pentagon scientists are tackling this hurdle by developing a mesh network of drones, creating an autonomous network without external connectivity. To facilitate effective communication within this network, Droidish, a specialized language for drones, has emerged as a vital solution.
Pentagon scientists are actively addressing the challenge of enabling effective communication among drones from different manufacturers during military operations. A key advancement involves creating a mesh network of drones, wherein the devices act as the network, eliminating the need for external connectivity. However, achieving effective communication within this autonomous network requires a common language, and Droidish has emerged to meet this need.
Keven Gambold, the mastermind behind Droidish and the CEO of government contractor Unmanned Experts, likened Droidish to enabling communication between iconic Star Wars robot duo R2D2 and C3P0. Partnering with the University of North Texas and backed by over $7 million in Air Force contracts, Gambold has been experimenting with drone communication since 2020.
In a pilot sponsored by the Air Force, three drones engaged in a game of chicken. One drone hovered in the air while the other two followed a flight path, dangerously close to it. Without human input, the drones had to coordinate and determine the best way to navigate the situation, emphasizing the complexity of enabling effective machine-to-machine discussions.
While Droidish primarily facilitates “machine-to-machine discussions,” human intervention is required to expand the language’s vocabulary as tasks become more sophisticated. As situations arise where drones lack appropriate language to deal with specific scenarios, Gambold’s team develops new “words” to ensure seamless collaboration among the machines. The goal is to expand Droidish to a point where any vehicle-to-vehicle system can utilize it for communication. This vision extends to self-driving cars using Droidish to coordinate routes and navigate obstacles or futuristic flying vehicles leveraging the language to safely navigate drone-filled skies.
The Language Enabling Drone Communication for Military Maneuvers
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