Universal Vehicle Controller (UVC)

Humanitarian Aid and Disaster Relief (HADR) is a worldwide need. Current rescue efforts place human operators in harms way; vehicles, vessels and aircraft that are unmanned reduce this risk to humans. The Kairos Autonomi Universal Vehicle Controller (UVC) is a control unit that has the ability to automate and remotely control a wide array of different vehicles, surface vessels, or aircraft equipped with one of many Kairos vehicle applique kits. Kairos currently utilizes Mission Planner, an open source drone-control program, to autonomously guide the UVC systems through fixed GPS waypoints. Via radio operation, commands can be given by the operator to the UVC directly, allowing for tele-operation of the installed vehicle. The UVC, and any associated robotics, can be rapidly installed or uninstalled such that it does not modify the vehicle, and in many cases the vehicle can still be driven with the installed system in place. With such a robotic system, first responders can utilize these unmanned vehicles in hazardous operational environments, reduce human intervention in logistical movements of supplies, goods, or equipment, and maintain operational status for long periods of time that would stress a normal human operator.