Method and system for controlling auxiliary systems of unmanned system

An unmanned system (UMS), comprising:

• a single physical computer with a single processing unit and a single data storage storing software;
• one or more auxiliary systems for the UMS;
• and
• a payload;
• wherein the single physical computer comprises the software stored on the single data storage that, when executed by the single physical computer, causes the single physical computer at least to instantiate a plurality of virtual computers that include a mission virtual computer and a payload virtual computer for:
• controlling the one or more auxiliary systems for the UMS using the mission virtual computer,
• communicating with the payload using the payload virtual computer,
• determining whether a software fault has occurred on one virtual computer of the plurality of virtual computers;
• and
• after determining that the software fault has occurred on one virtual computer of the plurality of virtual computers, preventing the software fault from causing a fault on a different virtual computer of the plurality of virtual computers.

A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon software, that when executed by a single processing unit of a single physical computer of an unmanned system (UMS), cause the single physical computer to perform functions comprising:

• instantiating a plurality of virtual computers that include a mission virtual computer and a payload virtual computer for:
• controlling one or more auxiliary systems for the UMS using the mission virtual computer, and
• communicating with a payload of the UMS using the payload virtual computer,
• determining whether a software fault has occurred on one virtual computer of the plurality of virtual computers, and
• after determining that the software fault has occurred on one virtual computer of the plurality of virtual computers, preventing the software fault from causing a fault on a different virtual computer of the plurality of virtual computers.