Autonomous Navigation System

[1] ANS was an on board, integrated suite of sensors and technology that enabled autonomous navigation, perception, path-planning and vehicle-following capabilities for unmanned ground vehicles, allowing them to move on the battlefield with minimal human oversight.

Some tasks the system already performed in tests included move-on-route, obstacle detection and avoidance and leader/follower capabilities in both day and night conditions.

Originally designed by the Army for integration on the armed robotic vehicle–assault (light) (ARV-A(L)), the ANS has also been tested on vehicles including Strykers, MULE engineering evaluation units, and light medium tactical vehicles (LMTV).

[2] The Critical Design Review found the ANS to be at a maturity level consistent with moving to the prototype fabrication phase and that its assessments and critical issues presented low risk with 95 percent of its requirements met.

Prototype delivery was scheduled for late 2011 and Integrated Qualification Testing would begin in 2012.