Northrop Grumman unveils Beacon autonomous testbed ecosystem

US prime contractor Northrop Grumman Corporation has unveiled Beacon, its next-generation testbed ecosystem designed to rapidly develop and deliver new autonomous mission capabilities.

Based on the Scaled Composites Model 437 Vanguard optionally manned aircraft, Beacon provides an integrated environment that mimics relevant mission scenarios, the company says. It gives third-party partners an opportunity to test new autonomous solutions with exposure to industry leaders who can scale them.

Beacon brings multiple third-party partners’ mission software together with Northrop Grumman’s proven flight software to connect the best in industry and pave the future of autonomy, the company adds.

Northrop Grumman designed Beacon as an autonomous test bed ecosystem to quickly mature mission autonomy software in an integrated, operationally relevant environment.

“Beacon is sixth-generation autonomous software development,” said Tom Jones, corporate vice president and president, Aeronautics Systems, Northrop Grumman. “It’s backed by our decades of leadership in designing and building operational autonomous aircraft and it’s serving as a bridge across industry to significantly reduce the time and cost it takes to bring new autonomous mission capabilities to our customers.

“The demand for new autonomous capability has grown exponentially,” he added. “Northrop Grumman has answered that call by investing to bring together industry partners who are innovating new solutions with those who have the production and operational experience at scale to deliver it.”

Beacon combines Northrop Grumman’s advanced autonomous software and solutions with an equally advanced digital ecosystem. Northrop Grumman says Beacon will accelerate software deployment, reduce risk and improve readiness for its partners and customers in the development of autonomous capabilities, and support future aircraft programs.

Northrop Grumman says it designed Beacon to be an open-access autonomous testbed ecosystem aligned to government reference architectures. Partners can test and refine their solutions using Northrop Grumman’s proven flight hardware and integration expertise.

Utilizing the Scaled Composites-built Model 437 Vanguard aircraft, now modified for optionally autonomous flight, Northrop Grumman is getting new mission and flight autonomy software airborne and validated faster.The company says it has multiple partners already committed and a series of flight demonstrations planned for this year.

Northrop Grumman has strategically teamed with multiple new entrants and companies in the autonomous and AI marketspace to deliver new mission capabilities faster, the company says. It leveraged internal R&D funds to develop Beacon; the company has invested some US$13.5 billion in R&D and infrastructure over the last five years.