D3IP expo delves into the future of autonomy

Agentic AI, the ethical dilemma posed by autonomous systems, and the future threat landscapes of an autonomous world… Those were just some of the themes being discussed as D3IP staged its inaugural Autonomy Unleashed expo.

Nearly 200 guests from across the defence, law enforcement, and national security sectors attended the insightful event, which was hosted at the BattleLab, Dorset Innovation Park. Industry partners, D3IP customers, and experts from each of the three sectors attended Autonomy Unleashed, which included thought-provoking panels, insightful sessions, and innovative organisations showcasing their latest technologies and services.

The highlight of the agenda was the keynote panel focusing on ethics and accountability (pictured), which included panellists Peter Lee, Professor of Applied Ethics at University of Portsmouth; Anna Dowle, a risk management expert working with the British Army; and Reece Oliver, Experimentation Team Lead at NavyX.

The panel, moderated by D3IP Initiative Lead Stuart Ship, explored the ethical dimensions of autonomous systems, which are becoming more prevalent particularly within the defence realm. The trio sought to investigate accountability, transparency, and responsible deployment practices across various domains, as well as delving into the broader implications of ethical considerations of autonomous technology.

A selection of quotes from the session.

Prof. Peter Lee: “If a potential adversary is developing AI & autonomous weapons systems at a level humans cannot normally interact, intercept & defeat, then there is an imperative to create a defence system that can at least match that as a minimum. But then we also know that if we create a defence system with that kind of kinetic capability – and Iron Dome in Israel has been publicised quite a lot in recent weeks – we all know it doesn’t take very much to turn that from a defensive to an offence system… The ethics of it all is highly moveable.”

Anna Dowle: “It’s the supply chain: where are the chips coming from? Have they been interfered with?… You’re looking at some of the big companies, they could be buying items from seven or eight vendors down. They have no idea where it’s coming from. I think one of the things we need to do in this country is start doing a bit more of our manufacturing. We cannot allow ourselves to be reliant on these systems if we don’t know exactly what has gone into it. 

Reece Oliver: “We obviously want to progress this technology to a position where humans are less in the loop and that then means we have to front-load the assurance. But it’s not just software, it’s also all the data that we feed that software with. We then have to explore the software, and then we have to explore the outputs… What we’re then throwing on top is another complicated layer of a system that essentially changes every day and the day you assure it; it will be different to the next day.”

Other highlights from the day included:

• A session from Jay Marble, Science Director at the Office of Naval Research Global, which detailed collaborative transatlantic efforts through live-virtual-constructive (LVC) testing to explore the potential of maritime autonomy.
• An exploration with Paul Ellis, ANGOKA Ltd, of how to protect autonomous systems given the huge number of attack vectors those systems create.
• Karl Eze, of Point Zenith, discussing how swarms and ‘group think’ for autonomous drones will become a race against counter-capabilities and counter-counter-capabilities in future conflicts.
• Simon Poole-Anderson, of Hybrid Vision, explaining how agentic AI will become a hugely powerful tool by executing large numbers of individual tasks and ‘joining the dots’ quickly, cheaply, and effectively to deliver a larger objective.

But Autonomy Unleashed was more than just an exchange of ideas. Throughout the day, a host of organisations showcased their cutting-edge technology and solutions. These included 2IC, a UK SME software company which focuses on solving digital interoperability problems for the defence market; iRed, an industry leader in remote sensing; MarineAI, which specialises in the development of practical surface and sub-surface maritime autonomy solutions; UAV Aerosystems, who exhibited their ‘Providence’ UAS autonomous system; and many more.

And to add some flare to the day, FPV drone pilots from the British Military Drone Racing team put on some exhilarating displays of skill, zipping around the course set up at Dorset Innovation Park.

D3IP Head of Events Rebecca Turner said: “Thank you to everyone who attended D3IP‘s Autonomy Unleashed expo. It was a pleasure to see so many familiar faces and to welcome new ones. I want to take a moment to express my gratitude to all the speakers and showcasing partners who attended. Your insightful presentations and innovative showcases truly made the event a success.

“To our speakers, your expertise and knowledge in the field of autonomy have left us all inspired. Your willingness to share your insights and experiences has enriched our understanding and sparked meaningful conversations. To our showcasing partners, your cutting-edge solutions and demonstrations were nothing short of impressive. Your contributions have undoubtedly pushed the boundaries of what we perceive as possible in the realm of autonomy.

You can learn more about the showcasing organisations, and find full event details, on the Autonomy Unleashed website. More content from the day will also be available in the coming weeks on this website, on the D3IP LinkedIn page, and on the D3IP Portal (exclusive to D3IP Community members).

You can also discover our future events and register your interest through our dedicated D3IP Events page.