AEROSPACE ENGINEERING

Abstract

In October 2021, the DARPA Gremlins team achieved a new milestone in unmanned aviation with the successful airborne launch and airborne retrieval of an X-61A Gremlins Air Vehicle, making significant contributions to safe, autonomous operation of unmanned aviation systems (UAS). In only four years, Gremlins evolved from a concept to a flight-proven capability. During this talk, Tim Keeter, the Auburn engineering alumni who served as both the chief engineer and eventual program manager for the Dynetics, Inc. Gremlins program, will highlight program achievements, the significance of this new technology, and share stories from this fast-paced development program.

Speaker

Tim Keeter

He is a Program Manager and Master Solution Architect within the Missile & Aviation Systems Division. He is currently the PM for the DARPA/TTO Gremlins program and the DARPA/STO Air Combat Evolution (ACE) program. He has held program management, chief engineer, and IPT Lead responsibilities across a variety of flight vehicle-based programs ranging from competitive concept development to rapid technology demonstrations and operational fielding, emphasizing distributed airborne technologies, attritable systems, AI-driven advanced autonomy, swarming systems of systems, tactical glide munitions, decision aids, and mission planning. He received his Bachelorʼs of Science in Aerospace Engineering at Auburn University in 1991 (Presidentʼs Award, Honors Scholar). He received his master of science degree in Aeronautical and
Astronautical Engineering at Purdue University in 1994.