Session 5: Autonomous Systems in Real-World Applications

ADE/DRDO has been engaged in the design and development of low and high speed unmanned aerial systems. Autonomy is the central technology for long endurance unmanned aerial systems. ADE successfully developed and demonstrated level 3 of autonomy capabilities in many unmanned aerial systems.  This talk presents an overview of research activities in ADE towards achieving solo and group autonomy. The challenges and opportunities in achieving fully autonomous systems operating in a network centric environment is highlighted. 

Mobile manipulation—combining autonomous mobility with dexterous object interaction—has emerged as a transformative capability in robotics, enabling intelligent agents to operate across a wide spectrum of environments. This work traces the evolution of mobile manipulators from structured industrial settings to unstructured and extreme domains such as extraterrestrial exploration.

This talk presents advancements in Indian space robotics, focusing on humanoid robots and AI-driven systems. It also highlights the development of manipulators for space station applications, discussing challenges, operational benefits, and future implications for space exploration and maintenance.