UK drone test centre at Westcott adds navigation and wind testing facilities

The Satellite Applications Catapult is turning its drone test site at Westcott Venture Park in Buckinghamshire into the National Autonomy and Drone Innovation Centre. The existing Drone Test and Development Centre forms the base for the expansion.

New position, navigation and timing facilities will show companies how their systems behave when satellite navigation signals are missing, disturbed or interfered with. A Satellite Communications Integration and Test Lab is to check drones and autonomous systems across satellite, terrestrial and mixed networks, supporting beyond-visual-line-of-sight flying.

Other equipment covers repeatability. A Windshaper system produces controlled indoor wind so equipment faces the same conditions again and again, without weather getting in the way, and a robotic arm handles automated testing with less manual work. A motion platform mimics operation from moving vessels, vehicles and uneven ground, letting firms test against harder real-world scenarios.

A Remote Operations Control Centre gives operators space to train, run simulated missions and check remote command-and-control procedures under realistic conditions.

According to the centre's plans, the test rigs are designed to work under controlled, repeatable conditions.