A team of research students and staff from Warsaw University of Technology have successfully demonstrated the first phase of flight test and integration of unmanned aircraft platforms with an autonomous mission control system.

The demonstration marks a significant milestone in a partnership between the university and Lockheed Martin that began earlier this year.

"This is an excellent opportunity for our students to collaborate with a global leader in aerospace engineering to develop complex control software," said Professor Janusz Narkiewicz, the leader and scientific manager of the project from Warsaw University of Technology.

"The project also integrates this control software onto multiple unmanned aircraft as part of a full flight test program."

The purpose of this project, which is principally staffed by university research students, is to optimize the performance of unmanned aerial vehicles when flying in fleets manned aircraft, in order to make the best use of available assets for any given mission.

The program adds to Lockheed Martin's strong links with Polish industry and commitment to supporting the development of engineering excellence by partnering with academic and research institutions.