Utah Governor’s Office of Economic Development

Autonomous Systems, a targeted industry activity as part of the Defense and Homeland Security “cluster” is better known as “unmanned vehicle systems” or “robotics”. Key to the growth of this industry is the DoD’s mandate to have one third of its vehicle fleet, unmanned (or autonomous) by 2015. This will mean that making autonomous air, ground and marine vehicles, of all types will provide opportunities for providers of platforms, communications, sensors and control systems. Additonally, the extensive use of autonomous systems by the military for a variety of missions, has made the application of autonomous systems technologies to civil and commercial venues a given. An industry and market segment will grow outside of the military market.

Utah has long been involved in this nascent industry of “unmanned vehicle or robotics systems”.  The three Utah Universities, (Utah State University, University of Utah and Bringham Young University) have exhibited excellence in the basic research in the enabling technologies for this industry and have participated in and won many competitions associated with autonomous systems and robotics.

A number of Utah companies (Sarcos and Autonomous Systems Incorporated (now a division of Raytheon) are examples) have been spawned from these University programs and are a vital part of this growing industry cluster.   Kairos Autonomi, has been developing ground robotics systems and supported the Utah Universities (U of U and BYU) entries into the DARPA Urban Challenge. It has fielded Unmanned Ground Vehicles for the DoD but is exploring opportunities in the commercial and industrial market. See link to Kairos Videos

Another Utah company, Flying Sensors Inc is exploring the surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities of unmanned aircraft deployed for military applications to the commercial and industrial markets. Other Utah companies, such as L-3 Communications and the Space Dynamics Laboratory of Utah State University will supply communications, command and sensor systems which will be key to this industry.

Exciting opportunities exist at both Utah military installations, Dugway Proving Ground and Hill Air Force Base to extend their missions to support unmanned systems test, evaluation and logistics activities as the military moves to realize the mandate to have one third of its vehicle fleet autonomous in the 2015 timeframe. 

The Governor's Office of Economic Development has fostered and supported Utah’s Autonomous Systems cluster to establish membership in the Association of Unmanned Systems International and participates as the Mountain West Chapter of AUVSI.