Photo By Airman 1st Class Amber Anderson | U.S. Army Col. Scott Meyers, the Camp Grayling installation commander, welcomes...... read more read more
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The land and air site tour for prospective participants and partners involved in the Unmanned Triple Challenge was held at Camp Grayling, Michigan, Aug. 9, 2024 in conjunction with Exercise Northern Strike 24-2.
The UTC was announced by Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on April 25, 2024. It is the first time the state of Michigan has conducted a state-sponsored, military technology innovation competition.
According to the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), Michigan is top ten in the nation for aerospace manufacturing attractiveness. The competition, which is designed to capitalize on that attractiveness, was created to help drive innovation in autonomous drone technology.
The challenge tasks competitors with using uncrewed, autonomous drones to traverse air, land and water while transporting a ten-pound package.
“There's nothing that crosses the three domains that we know of,” said Lt. Col. Quinn Rogers, the deputy commander of Camp Grayling. “The concept is like an Ironman competition. We have a drone that can do water. We have a drone that can do air. We have drones that can do ground. Can you either put it together so all three of them can work together, or can you make one that can do all three?”
Indeed, a drone working in all three domains would impact civilian, commercial and defense industries. It would be beneficial for the transportation of goods and services in the civilian sector, the ability to deliver critical components and medicine to isolated communities, as well as the overall execution of tactical battle strategy.
“Right now, drones and autonomy are the direction we're seeing on the battlefield,” said Rogers. “You can make technology do the routine work that doesn't put lives in danger. A machine can be replaced. You can save lives on the battlefield.”
The Michigan National Guard, the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation are partnering on the competition melding together the military and community.
“I'm looking forward to seeing it,” said Wendy Lyngren, the chief operating officer from Anzen Unmanned, a potential participant in the competition. “Having it literally in our backyard and being able to see the end-to-end transitions will be a lot of fun and good for the economy as well.”
The competition, which is scheduled for May 2025, begins at Rogers City Quarry, goes through the Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center, and ends at Camp Grayling.
Northern Strike 24-2, one of the Department of Defense’s largest reserve component readiness exercises, is scheduled to take place from August 3-17, 2024. Over 6,300 participants from 32 states and territories and several international participants will converge at the NADWC. Northern Strike is the premier reserve component training event designed to build readiness with joint and partner forces in all domains of warfare.
| Date Taken: | 08.09.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 08.12.2024 10:35 |
| Story ID: | 478313 |
| Location: | CAMP GRAYLING JOINT MANEUVER TRAINING CENTER, MICHIGAN, US |
| Web Views: | 130 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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