Navigation Autonomy in Commercial Unmanned Systems Growth Opportunities

Navigation Autonomy in Commercial Unmanned Systems Growth Opportunities

Artificial intelligence (AI) advancements are helping companies automate unmanned solutions designed for commercial tasks. While the adoption rate varies based on the domain the unmanned system operates, all unmanned solutions benefit from this development.

To enable autonomous navigation features in unmanned systems, OEMs must equip their products with various sensors that allow the robotic platform to perceive its surroundings and make decisions accordingly. Of the potential sensors, LiDAR technology is expected to register the highest growth because it is the most reliable technology for autonomous navigation. However, the high costs associated with LiDAR technology and negative public perception regarding the use of unmanned systems in public spaces could delay widespread adoption and limit regulatory changes that encourage end users to adopt unmanned platforms with autonomous navigation features.

Despite these developments, rising labor costs and improvements in AI algorithms are anticipated to drive end users to slowly transition toward newer, autonomous unmanned platforms that can carry out commercial tasks more safely and efficiently. Autonomous navigation features in unmanned platforms may also simplify the integration of unmanned solutions into existing workflows by removing the need for an experienced pilot.