Conrad has worked for Rolls-Royce throughout his twenty-five year career, having started with the company as a sponsored engineering undergraduate. He initially worked in the Engine Performance department but in the last decade has been more involved in the Future Programmes arena. Today, he leads research and technology for the company’s defence sector.
“My job is to identify and deliver the new propulsion system concepts, rather than the programme itself." he explained "We also identify the required technology and run the technology programmes.”
Rolls-Royce was an early stakeholder in ASTRAEA 1 and Conrad recalled their work was primarily theoretical but widely scoped, from system modelling to affordability of propulsion units. He said the ASTRAEA programme was a good fit for the research and technology business because the company had already recognised the need for autonomous power and control systems for both manned and unmanned aircraft.
While their ASTRAEA 1 efforts set the various autonomous system ‘blocks’ in place, the actual testing is being done in ASTRAEA 2. Conrad said they’ll be doing a real system demonstration using a ‘live’ R-R Model 250 gas turbine running on a test bed with a simulated 250 engine running in tandem (i.e. a twin-engined UAV). The live engine will generate electrical power into a network of systems so they can gauge power requirements and evaluate the performance of the autonomous power manager.
“The real engine is feeding hardware in the loop,” he explained, “so we can divert power from one engine to the other, simulate faults and engine ‘outs’ and we’ll have feedback into the running engine so we can check that it’s maintaining operation and delivering sufficient electrical power – all autonomously.”
Conrad pointed out that UAVs can’t rely on contact with their remote pilot so they must have autonomous, intelligent, decision-making systems that can replicate an on-board pilot’s judgement. Rolls-Royce’s live engine testing in a simulated operational environment is an initial step in the complicated process of proving autonomous systems’ capabilities.
“There’s still a long road ahead,” he said regarding the future of UAV operations in the UK. “I think we’re in pretty good shape technically and regulations will change slowly over time, but public perception is hard to predict and it’s currently negative – people tend to view UAVs as either weapons or spies in the sky.”
But Conrad does see UAVs operating in civil airspace and predicts it will start with the “small stuff” (payloads less than 50kg). Then, by about 2020, he wouldn’t be surprised to see a large UAV circling over Bristol.
About Rolls-Royce
Rolls-Royce is a world-leading provider of power systems and services for use on land, at sea and in the air, and has established a strong position in global markets - civil aerospace, defence aerospace, marine and energy.
As a result of this strategy, Rolls-Royce today has a broad customer base comprising more than 600 airlines, 4,000 corporate and utility aircraft and helicopter operators, 160 armed forces, more than 2,000 marine customers, including 70 navies, and energy customers in nearly 120 countries, with an installed base of 54,000 gas turbines.
Rolls-Royce employs over 38,000 skilled people in offices, manufacturing and service facilities in 50 countries.
Rolls-Royce is a partner in the ASTRAEA II project on Autonomous Decision Making (ADM) and leads the propulsion and power management theme.