What is ACE?
Description of Autonomous Control Engine purpose
ACE™is an embedded flight control system from Planck Aerosystems that enables intelligent autonomy capabilities for unmanned aircraft missions that must operate from moving platforms, where there is no room for error and no substitute for reliability. Much more than a positioning system, ACE is a full-fledged control system that adapts to the conditions and motion of the ground vehicle or vessel, replicating the actions that would be performed by a highly skilled pilot.
ACE doesn't just tell the autopilot where to land. It determines how to land.
ACE is an add-on module that augments the flight capabilities of the aircraft. It works with the autopilot to provide autonomous outer-loop control.
With thousands of flights from trucks, combat vehicles, small boats, and ships, ACE is a mature and trusted autonomy engine for some of the highest performance sUAS in the world. ACE forms the core of Planck’s navigation solutions for highly autonomous drone operations from moving vehicles and vessels.
ACE is a sensor-guided navigation solution that provides outer-loop control, intelligent behaviors, and specialized failsafes for UAVs, including precision landing without GPS. ACE is highly configurable to accommodate different types of aircraft, applications, and flight modes. ACE can also be configured in a guidance-only mode, providing relative position measurements and estimates instead of closed-loop control commands.
ACE is designed for UAS manufacturers who need a robust, high-reliability, tested, and proven capability for their defense and industrial aircraft. ACE runs on low SWAP embedded computer hardware onboard the UAV that is interfaced to the autopilot system to provide full control of the aircraft during critical phases of flight. ACE uses a downward vertical-facing camera for guidance during takeoff, landing, and precision station-keeping on the move, even with a complete loss of communication and/or GPS. Modes and missions can be configured through an adaptable user interface.
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