Adelaide-based artificial intelligence (AI) company AICRAFT is developing advanced technology to support future spaceborne radar systems.
The company is designing a low-power electronics system for synthetic aperture radar (SAR) that rapidly converts incoming signals into digital data with full speed and accuracy.
The data is then sent to AICRAFT’s Pulsar Pro onboard computer – for satellites up to 100kg – which will process the data in space and reduce the time it takes to access the insights from hours or days to minutes.
The SAR imagery can then be collected at any time under any weather conditions and used for applications including agriculture monitoring, flood mapping, ship tracking, ground movement detection, and infrastructure inspection where access is limited due to damage.
This project has been developed with the support of the State Government’s Manufacturing Growth Accelerator (MGA), which connects businesses with researchers at Flinders University’s Factory of the Future.
CEO of AICRAFT, Dr Tony Scoleri, explained the relationship with AICRAFT and Flinders University is strong, particularly following this project.
“Our journey with Flinders University – from residency at the New Venture Institute to employing Flinders graduates and now launching this research program – reflects a partnership that continues to grow in strength,” said Dr Scoleri.
“Now we are developing a disruptive capability that meets the increasing demand for real-time information, with a solution company enough to operate on 100kg-class satellites instead of multi-tonne platforms.”
Acting Vice-Chancellor at Flinders University, Professor Ray Chan, said bringing together the right expertise, technologies and researchers to tackle problems and develop solutions is what the Factory of the Future is all about.
“The partnership with AICRAFT, combined with the support of the South Australian Government through the Manufacturing Growth Accelerator, is an outstanding example of what’s being achieved,” said Professor Chan.
“Advances which not only position our state and nation for the future but deliver solutions for our community – and opportunity for our students.”
Minister for State Development and Minister for Defence and Space Industries, Chris Picton MP, said the MGA is allowing small-to-medium enterprises access to researchers and advanced technologies they may not otherwise have.
“Supporting South Australian businesses to explore technologies, particularly in growth industries such as space and defence, is critical for the state’s manufacturing sovereign capability, economic growth and increasing productivity,” said Minister Picton.
The Manufacturing Growth Accelerator is a South Australian Government initiative funded by the Department of State Development and delivered by Flinders University’s Factory of the Future.
Find out more about the Manufacturing Growth Accelerator
—
Image: Dr Amin Mahmoudi (Flinders University); Kyle Huynh (Flinders University, Research Assistant); Dinh Bach Nguyen, Sree Thatavarthy, Dr Tony Scoleri, Sarthak Rawat, Kavin Ravi, Aaron McIntosh and Sumithra Jidugu (AICRAFT); Olivier Griffin (Flinders University); Campbell Pegg (Director, Space – SASIC); and Philipp Dautel (Operations Director, Factory of the Future).
