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An autonomous control system for land vehicles was developed. The control system consists of two major core systems, the Mission Planning and Control Unit (MPCU) and Piloting System Unit (PSU) and a number of subsystems, including the Positioning Unit (PU). The system architecture is modular and it employs a virtual vehicle abstraction to give the system to a degree of vehicle-independency. The development and testing of the system have been carried out using a 1.5 ton tracked vehicle with a hydrostatic powertrain as a test platform. Real-Time Kinematic GPS positioning coupled with fiber-optic gyros have been used to achieve the high positioning accuracy needed in the system. Extended Kalman Filters have been used to achieve data fusion, and cubic B-splines have been used for trajectory generation. The system has performed well in autonomous tests; navigation accuracy of ± 5 cm has been consistently achieved.

An all-hydrostatic, track-driven vehicle with both remote control and autonomous operation capabilities was designed. The platform vehicle features fully hydrostatic drive with a variable displacement pump and a hub motor for each track. The combination of hydrostatic drive and tracks offers excellent controllability for autonomous applications as well as good maneuverability and traction. The remote control system allows the user to operate both the vehicle and various payloads, including robotic manipulators and surveillance equipment. The teleoperation (video-assisted remote control) has the same basic functionality, but allows the operator to be beyond visual range from the vehicle. The autonomous control system includes an easy-to-use man-machine interface and mission planning module, precise positioning, and autonomous controls for both the vehicle and the payload. The system design is modular and adaptable.