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4 The Collier Trophy has an impressive heritage. From the first award to Glenn Curtiss in 1911 for the development of the hydro-aeroplane, Orville Wright for his automatic stabiliser in 1913 and Elmer and Lawrence Sperry for the invention of gyroscopic control in 1914, the award has highlighted the state of the art in all kinds of aeronautical and space technologies. Sylvanus Albert Reed won in 1925 for the development of the metal propeller, while the Packard Motor Car Company won in 1931 for the design and development of the first practical diesel aircraft engine, the DR-980 radial. So the 2019 award to Boeing’s X-37B spaceplane (see our Insight on page 46) marks a recognition of the development of autonomous technologies. The X-37B is a quarter-scale version of the Space Shuttle, and has spent close to 3000 days in orbit since its first flight, in 2010. You might think that marks the turning point for the acceptance of autonomous technologies, but the X-37B is not the first autonomous aircraft to win the trophy. That honour goes to the X-47B, which won the award in 2013. Developed by Northrop Grumman, the blended wing-body combat aircraft operated autonomously from that most difficult of platforms, the aircraft carrier. The project was cancelled in 2017 though. The sea is perhaps the next place to look for historic autonomous technology. The Mayflower autonomous ship is currently in sea trials before attempting to cross the Atlantic next year, powered by its AI system from IBM. It could well achieve the same trophy status as its illustrious forebears. Nick Flaherty | Technology Editor Trophy hunters Intro | October/November 2020 Editorial Director Ian Bamsey Assistant Editor Guy Richards Technology Editor Nick Flaherty Contributors Peter Donaldson, Rory Jackson Technical Consultants Paul Weighell Ian Williams-Wynn Dr Donough Wilson Design Andrew Metcalfe [email protected] UST Ad Sales Please direct all enquiries to Freya Williams [email protected] Subscriptions Frankie Robins [email protected] Publishing Director Simon Moss [email protected] General Manager Chris Perry Read all back issues online www.ust-media.com UST 34 :OCT/NOV 2020 UK £15,USA$30,EUROPE e 22 Road sense How 2getthere has prepared its third- gen cyberbus for use in mixed traffic Sun gear Focus on solar cells and supporting technologies Task masters The rise of real-time operating systems Volume Six | Issue Six October/November 2020 High Power Media Limited Whitfield House, Cheddar Road, Wedmore, Somerset, BS28 4EJ, England Tel: +44 (0)1934 713957 www.highpowermedia.com ISSN 2056-9823 Printed in Great Britain ©High Power Media All rights reserved. Reproduction (in whole or in part) of any article or illustration without the written permission of the publisher is strictly prohibited. While care is taken to ensure the accuracy of information herein, the publisher can accept no liability for errors or omissions. Nor can responsibility be accepted for the content of any advertisement. SUBSCRIPTIONS Subscriptions are available from High Power Media at the address above or directly from our website. Overseas copies are sent via air mail. UST SUBSCRIPTION OFFERS 1 year subscription – 15% discount: UK – £75; Europe – £90 USA – £93.75; ROW – £97.50 2 year subscription – 25% discount: UK – £135; Europe – £162 USA – £168.75; ROW – £175.50 Make cheques payable to High Power Media. Visa, Mastercard, Amex and UK Maestro accepted. Quote card number and expiry date (also issue/start date for Maestro) ALSO FROM HPM THE COMMUNICATIONS HUBOF THE RACING POWERTRAINWORLD AUTUMN 2020 UK £15,USA$25,EUROPE e 22 DOUGCAMPLING: Extremebattery tech www.highpowermedia.com MAY 2019 EDPINK: Reinventing heFlatead PRODRIVE’SWRXJEWEL State-of-the-art I4 turbo CUTTING-EDGE DESIGN Focus onCAD ELECTRIC DREAMS TheChallenge of FormulaE SKODAWRC-2SECRETS Inside anR5 I4 turbo KTM’SBR AKTHROUGH Winning engine insight THETURBO DESTROYER Mummert’s nitrous Suzuki ISSUE007 | SUMMER2020 UK£15 USA$30 EUROPE€22 E-MOBILITY ENGINEERING THE COMMUNICATIONS HUB OF THE ELECTRIFIED POWERTRAIN Wheelswithin wheels Developmentdetailsof Elaphe’s latest in-wheelmotor Brain surgery Stop interfering Theanatomyof the modernECU revealed ThesourcesofEMIand how tomitigate it October/November 2020 | Unmanned Systems Technology 2021 advertising Limited opportunities within the pages of UST magazine are available for advertisers wishing to raise awareness of their unmanned/autonomous related products and services in 2021. Simon Moss will continue to look after all current and previous advertisers via the ‘right of first refusal (ROFR)’ scheme – www.ust-rofr.com . For all new enquiries and a copy of our 2021 media kit please contact Freya Williams at [email protected]