NOTICE: Due to a lapse in annual appropriations, most of this website is not being updated. Learn more.

Form submissions will still be accepted but will not receive responses at this time. Sections of this site for programs using non-appropriated funds (such as NVLAP) or those that are excepted from the shutdown (such as CHIPS and NVD) will continue to be updated.

U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

PUBLICATIONS

Autonomy Levels for Unmanned Systems (ALFUS) Framework Volume I: Terminology Version 2.0

Published

Author(s)

Hui-Min Huang

Abstract

This document identifies and defines terms to support the system (UMS) community, particularly from the perspectives of characterizing the autonomy and measuring the autonomous capability of the UMS. This document, Version 2.0 of the Autonomy Levels for Unmanned Systems (ALFUS) Terminology is based on Version 1.1 that was published in 2004 as NIST Special Publication 1011. This work is a collective effort of the Ad Hoc ALFUS Working Group. The Group later formed the Performance Measures Subcommittee of the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) AS-4 Unmanned Systems Committee
Citation
Special Publication (NIST SP) - 1011
Report Number
1011
NIST Pub Series
Special Publication (NIST SP)
Pub Type
NIST Pubs

Download Paper

https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.sp.1011-I-2.0

Keywords

autonomy, control, environment, human independence, human robot interaction, measurement, metrics, mission, robot, unmanned system

Citation

Huang, H. (2004), Autonomy Levels for Unmanned Systems (ALFUS) Framework Volume I: Terminology Version 2.0, Special Publication (NIST SP), National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, [online], https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.sp.1011-I-2.0 (Accessed October 14, 2025)

Issues

If you have any questions about this publication or are having problems accessing it, please contact [email protected].

Created September 30, 2004, Updated November 10, 2018
Was this page helpful?