Submit your research use case to become a lead user with 6 months free research infrastructure!
Your research ideas and use cases matter. They are essential for shaping the requirements of our AIrTonomy. In order to successfully submit a research use case, we strongly encourage you to watch the recording of our latest AIrTonomy Introduction webinar or please read the info slides, and watch this AIrTonomy Overview video. Please check our YouTube channel or follow our LinkedIn page to stay up to date.
What broader problem areas should the research use case focus on?
- Complex missions of AAVs in real-world environments: BVLOS, long missions, high payload, weather disturbance, firefighting, first responders, urban airspace integration
- AAV operations in GPS-denied environments: Urban operations, search and rescue in buildings, transition from outdoor to indoor, flight in forests, counter UAS in urban canyons
- Human-autonomy-teaming (human-in-the-loop): Remote pilots (e.g. operations center), end-user interaction, brain-computer-interfaces (BCI), etc.
- Sensing/measuring with UAVs at different scales: Geometry models digital forestry, biomass measurement, etc.
What methodological and topical areas do we look for?
Topics for research ideas (but not restricted to):
- AI/ML-driven UAV Perception and Object Detection/Tracking
- AI/ML-driven UAV Localization and Navigation
- AI/ML-driven Decision Making in UAV Operations and Human-Autonomy Teaming
- AI/ML-driven UAV Trajectory and Motion Planning
- AI/ML-driven UAV Control
- AI/ML-driven Swarm Coordination for UAVs
- AI/ML-assisted Precision Agriculture with UAVs
- AI/ML-assisted Environmental Monitoring with UAVs (e.g. Forestry, Wildfires)
- AI/ML-assisted Counterintelligence and Cybersecurity
- AI/ML-assisted Urban Airspace Management
AI/ML focus areas:
- Physics inspired neural networks (PINNs)
- Generative AI for data augmentation
- Federated learning
- Artificial General Intelligence (AGL)
- Reinforcement learning
- Model-based control
- Computer vision
- Edge computing
- Formal methods
- Safety in non-linear control theory (e.g. control barrier functions)
- Large Language Models (LLMs)
- Explainability and interpretability of AI/ML
- Digital twins and fidelity simulations
- Active SLAM
- Embodied AI
How can I submit my research use cases?
Your research use case should be based on your reflection of the key features of AIrTonomy and the Purdue Unmanned aerial Proving Ground (PUP) and how you plan to use its various components (see the video and slides here). We highly encourage you to think how you can use the different components in an integrated way, but you can also focus just on one aspect (e.g. the smart operations center and the wearable devices for human sensing of physiological signals). We encourage outside of the box thinking to advance the future of AI/ML for safe and trustworthy AAVs.
To submit your ideas, please use the following submission form, addressing all components listed below in the form of a template/survey.
#1: A short pitch (300 words): This is the pitch of your idea submitted via the form of a short abstract. Please include 1) Problem statement/research question, 2) proposed method and usage of AIrTonomy, 3) expected outcome, and 4) scientific contribution.
#2: An extended abstract plus interactive material (e.g. slides, videos, audio files, animations, etc.): This extended abstract submitted in the form of a .PDF should provide more detailed information about your study and how you envision to use AIrTonomy. The extended abstract is only due by August 31, 2024 and only required if you want to present at the workshop and to qualify for one of our awards. We encourage you to use UML language (use cases), visualizations, or other means to illustrate your use case in an easy to grasp way. You can also attach slides, and short videos if you wish to do so. Citations are not required but encouraged. We have developed a template for your document, poster, and slides here.
#3: Complementary info: During the submission process you will be asked to answer a few questions related to each of our components. It will help us to better understand your needs and how we need to adjust.
How will your research use case be used during the workshop?
Your submitted use case will contribute to the workshop in direct and indirect ways.
Lightning Talks consist of a 5 to 8 minutes talk or “elevator speech” in a session at the conference followed by QAs, and networking with peers. This is an excellent opportunity to stimulate discussion and debate, to introduce your research use case to the audience and gain feedback on it in a formal way. Lightning talks should ideally be in person, but under special circumstances virtual talks may also be allowed. You can present individually or as part of a team of two speakers.
Posters and breakout sessions will allow you to use your ideas in a more conversational way. We plan to organize poster sessions over coffee breaks as well as moderated breakout sessions in which the posters will be an essential contribution to the breakout discussion. Your poster will trigger reflection and discussion among the workshop participants and breakout group members. Breakout groups will be organized around common themes. During the breakout sessions, you have the opportunity to share your ideas, pitch it during conversations, and discuss it with other breakout group participants. A panel discussion following breakout groups will synthesize the discussions.
Survey responses in the submission form will allow us to write a final report that we can share with the public to demonstrate your needs related to the AIrTonomy research infrastructure. In the submission form you will be asked to fill in a few questions that will help us to capture such information. We will mention you as a contributor in the final report if you allow us to use your name!
Awards and recognition
- Travel grants and best idea awards: For your participation in this use case study, we will recognize your time and effort. We will award travel grants, and also will award best contributions for participants that are unable to travel. The travel grants will be allocated based on three criteria 1) first-come-first-serve, and 2) relevance of the submission, and 3) quality and novelty of the submission. The use cases will be selected by the AIrTonomy Steering Committee. In addition, we will also award best contributions in the form of Amazon gift cards.
- Lead user role and 6-months free access: A submission of a research use case will also allow you to become part of a lead user task force, who has 6 months free access to our infrastructure. The terms and conditions for such usage will be discussed at the workshop. Access can be granted as early as fall 2024, depending on your infrastructure needs. During that time you will have the opportunity to work with the AIrTonomy team to further shape the infrastructure development, and help with the implementation of some of the new components.
Key Dates
July 29th: Invitation and RSVP opens
Week of August 5th: Submission of research use cases opens
August 8th and 22nd | 10 am: Watch the latest AIrTonomy Introduction webinar recording here
August 31st: Submission of research uses cases/papers and lightning talks close; announcement of travel grants!
September 11-12: AIrTonomy Workshop at Purdue University campus and surrounding areas near West Lafayette, Indiana
We look forward to your ideas!
