Red 6 and EpiSci Accomplish World’s First Live Dogfight Against An AI Driven Virtual Aircraft

RED 6 from Red 6 on Vimeo.

 Press release

Combat Pilots will Soon Train Against Virtual Adversaries



Santa Monica, CA, November 16, 2020 – Red 6, a revolutionary technology firm at the forefront of synthetic air combat training, and EpiSci, a multidisciplinary innovation company that develops next-generation autonomous technologies for defense, aerospace, and commercial applications, announce the world’s first live-flight augmented reality dogfight between a real aircraft and a simulated, reactive adversary aircraft. “Red 6’s ATARS system enables real pilots to fly real airplanes connected together in an augmented world,” said Daniel Robinson, Founder and CEO of Red 6.

Robinson conducted the world’s first ever dogfight in a real aircraft, against Episci’s Tactical AI Augmented Reality representation of the Chinese J-20 stealth fighter. “With this first-ever within-visual-range dogfight against an AI bandit, Episci’sTactical AI demonstrated the ability to work on a real aircraft, with flight-ready hardware and sensors,” said Chris Gentile, EpiSci’s Vice President for Tactical Autonomous Systems. “While fielding autonomous systems that control fighters may be in the future, this system is ready now to bring next-generation capability to our training programs, providing immediate benefit to the USAF’s ability to develop and maintain world-class fighter pilots. By introducing them to this technology now, they’ll be even more prepared to use a range of unmanned tools in the future,” continued Gentile.

The Airborne Tactical Augmented Reality System (ATARS), created by Red 6, showcased the groundbreaking display and control systems needed to bring AR into the real world, while simultaneously integrating Tactical AI into the Red 6 system. Designed from the ground up for rapid integration into live aircraft, Tactical AI seeks to bring AI combat autonomy out of simulation and into the real world. “With the additional integration of Tactical AI into our platform, we are now able to interact and respond to any threat aircraft. This opens spectacular possibilities for training,” stated Robinson.

Built on a trust-first hybrid AI system by leveraging EpiSci’s work in DARPA’s Alpha Dogfight program, EpiSci’s Tactical AI can provide training aids for any level of instruction, generating a repeatable presentation while using advanced AI to challenge trainees as they progress. In addition, Tactical AI can coach the student while also controlling the bandit presentation – building strong habit patterns and sight pictures from the start, while providing objective feedback on student performance and progression. “Pilots of the future will need to be comfortable teaming with AI – and training is the ideal place to introduce this technology,” said Gentile.



About Red 6

Red 6 is the creator of ATARS (Airborne Tactical Augmented Reality System). ATARS is the first wide field-of-view, full color demonstrably proven outdoor augmented reality solution that works in dynamic outdoor environments. ATARS allows Virtual and Constructive assets into the real-world by allowing pilots and ground operators to see synthetic threats in real-time, outdoors and, critically, in high-speed environments. By blending augmented reality and artificial intelligence and using both the indoor and outdoor space around us as a medium, Red 6 has redefined the limits of how the world will experience, share, and interact with its information.

About EpiSci

EpiSci is a multidisciplinary innovation company that develops next-generation autonomous technologies for defense, aerospace, and commercial applications. Founded in 2012, we draw upon years of high-risk, high-payoff research and development efforts sponsored from DARPA and other Department of Defense agencies. Through our Tactical Artificial Intelligence technologies, our vision is to be a leader of assured autonomy and creating disruptive autonomous and intelligent systems that are safe, secure, resilient, and reliable.