The challenge: Deliver a package.
That might seem straightforward enough, but there were multiple twists for participants in Michigan’s recent “Uncrewed Triple Challenge,” in which competitors were tasked with using driverless autonomous drones to move a package across northern Michigan at the fastest possible speed—with no human intervention, and traversing air, land, and water.
The competition, which took place May 20–22, was a partnership among the Michigan National Guard, Michigan Economic Development Corporation, and the Michigan Department of Transportation. Participants came from numerous states and countries, and represented the military, government, academia, and industry.
“The goal over time is, how can we move goods more efficiently and safer, using autonomous technology?,” Charlie Tyson, technology activation director for Michigan’s Office of Future Mobility and Electrification, which helped organize the challenge, told Tech Brew.
The challenge: Participants competed using uncrewed ground vehicles, aerial drones (UAVs), and maritime systems.
The competition’s maritime segment consisted of a zone of 5 nautical miles. Then, from a harbor in northern Michigan, participants were challenged to navigate their UAVs across 58.5 miles of a designated airspace. The land segment spanned 23.5 miles.
Tyson attended the competition in person and said he was struck by how challenging the course was—especially during a classic Michigan spring day when it was chilly and windy, which had a noticeable effect on the aerial segment.
“But they were able to do it,” he said. “It was really incredible to see.”
The winners of the sea, air, and ground segments, respectively, were Mythos AI, SiFly, and DataSpeed, and the three companies collectively won the competition as a team. SiFly’s electric drone achieved a new milestone: It more than doubled the world record for the longest continuous drone payload flight.
Keep up with the innovative tech transforming business
Tech Brew keeps business leaders up-to-date on the latest innovations, automation advances, policy shifts, and more, so they can make informed decisions about tech.
Mobility moves: The event aligned with Michigan’s ongoing efforts to position itself as a leader in the mobility sector, including on technologies like electrification and autonomy.
“This unique challenge, the first of its kind, puts Michigan on the cutting-edge of mobility and cements our reputation as a state that knows how to bring people together to get things done,” Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat, said in a statement.
According to the state, it’s home to nearly 4,000 defense- and aerospace-related companies, along with the Unmanned Aerial Systems Consortium and seven Federal Aviation Administration test sites for uncrewed aircraft systems.
“We know that we have been leaders in automotive. We know that we have emerging industries seeking to leverage new technology. We have strong R&D and engineering talent in Michigan,” Tyson said. “And so we want to better highlight that and help advance autonomous vehicle technology that can make an impact both in the defense and commercial industries. This event…was an effort to do just that.”
Tyson pointed to other autonomous mobility initiatives happening in Michigan, including one that involved using drones to move packages off ships so they don’t have to dock to make a delivery. Other examples of putting the technology to use might be delivering medical supplies to hospitals, or moving manufacturing components from facility to facility by air.
“We see opportunities to move goods from Point A to Point B,” Tyson said, “leveraging autonomous vehicle technology.”