Boston Engineering Receives USAF Grant to Improve UAV Motor Control

Boston Engineering, an engineering consultancy company, has announced that it has been awarded a $150,000 contract by the U.S. Air Force to enhance UAV capabilities and to also reduce drone noise. Specifically, Boston Engineering will demonstrate an embedded motor control platform to accelerate U.S. Air Force UAV research and development initiatives.

Embedded motion control systems underpin critical UAV operations including drone propulsion and sensors for applications including surveillance. Boston Engineering received the Phase I award from the U.S. Air Force’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)/Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) program.

“We have two decades of motion control experience for industrial and government clients, and we are uniquely positioned to drive innovation in UAVs and similar ground and underwater applications,” said Mark Smithers, co-founder and chief technology officer at Boston Engineering.

Boston Engineering is bridging a market gap between commercial motor control products that don’t meet the U.S. Air Force’s rigorous UAV requirements and the technical expertise required for custom embedded control systems.

“We are providing the U.S. Air Force with a sophisticated motor control framework to accelerate next-generation UAV development without the need to have extensive embedded control systems experience,” said Guy Fichera, director of the Industrial & Commercial practice at Boston Engineering.