We designed and built an autonomous system that demonstrates the fundamental principles of moving target interception used in modern defense technologies. Our project addresses the engineering challenge of combining speed and precision to intercept objects in motion, a problem that spans applications from industrial automation to missile defense systems.
We divided our system into three integrated modules: acquisition, control, and actuation. The acquisition module fuses data from a high-speed camera and radar sensor to estimate a moving target’s position and motion in three dimensions in real time. We process this information to generate predictions of the target’s future location.
Our control module receives the predicted target data and applied a state-based control loop to determine the appropriate response. This loop continuously monitors system state and coordinates communication between the acquisition and actuation modules to ensure accurate tracking and timely response.
The actuation module consists of a custom 3D-printed mechanical platform with two-axis motion controlled by servo motors. This design allows the system to adjust its orientation and aim based on control commands. Once we detect a target, the system automatically calculates an interception trajectory and executes the response without human intervention.
We successfully demonstrate key concepts used in modern interception and missile defense systems, including sensor fusion, predictive algorithms, closed-loop control, and autonomous operation. Our prototype provides a simplified but effective model for understanding complex real-world defense technologies in an academic setting.
