Terra Drone Europe, a group company of Terra Drone Corporation, has announced that it has secured a framework agreement to provide UAS services to the national mapping agency of the United Kingdom, Ordnance Survey.
Through this agreement, Terra Drone Europe will provide a variety of UAS services to Ordnance Survey, with deliverables including orthomosaics, digital terrain models (DTM) and digital surface models.
“This framework shows how Ordnance Survey is using new and innovative techniques to create the most accurate maps of the United Kingdom,” says Patrick Rickerby, technical director, Terra Drone Europe.
Business Solutions
Business Solutions
Dynam.AI, GBA partner to identify infrastructure defects using UAS and AI
Artificial intelligence technology provider Dynam.AI and GBA, a provider of engineering and architecture technologies, have announced that they will work together to identify defects in bridge roadway surfaces using a joint platform consisting of GBA’s UAS and Dynam.AI’s Auguste image detection and classification algorithm.
There are more than 47,000 structurally deficient bridges in the U.S. according to a 2019 study from the American Road & Transportation Builders Association. Traditionally, collecting the necessary data to determine the location and severity of the structural deficiencies would be done manually, which would require ground crews and extensive lane closures, creating hazards for drivers, road workers and inspectors.
Persistent Systems selected to equip U.S. Army's backpackable robot with Wave Relay MANET
Persistent Systems has announced that it will supply the QinetiQ North America (QNA) team chosen for the U.S. Army’s Common Robotic System-Individual (CRS(I)) program of record with its Wave Relay mobile ad hoc networking technology (MANET).
Weighing less than 25 pounds, CRS(I) is a backpackable robot that dismount users can carry with sensor suites for viewing and detecting threats, which provides greater situational awareness in the field.
“We’re excited to, once again, deliver the Wave Relay MANET to the U.S. Army and help lead the drive towards networking the battlefield,” says Leslie Hulser, director of Programs for Persistent.
Aurora, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles partner to work on self-driving commercial vehicles
Autonomous technology developer Aurora has partnered with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) to work on self-driving commercial vehicles.
Aurora says that the partnership will “further expand the scope” of the Aurora Driver, which is an independent platform that Aurora describes as “the hardware, the software, and the data services that guide vehicles powered by it safely through the world.”
This will ultimately allow Aurora to offer a variety of technologies to strategic customers in logistics, transit, and other use cases, the company says.
Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation, Hampton Roads Transit join Automated Bus Consortium
The Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT) and Hampton Roads Transit (HRT) have joined the Automated Bus Consortium (ABC), which is a national consortium of transit agencies examining the feasibility of deploying autonomous buses in select areas of the country, including Hampton Roads.
ESAero awarded SBIR Phase II Award from NASA for eVTOL and UAM
Empirical Systems Aerospace Inc. (ESAero) has announced that it has been awarded a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II Award from NASA.
Currently in negotiation, the award is under NASA Topic A1.06 for Vertical Lift Technology and Urban Air Mobility.
ESAero says that its proposal, “Validation of UAM Dynamics Modeling Tool Suite Using Scaled Modular Aerial Research Testbed,” will “comprehensively address a gap in knowledge due to a lack of publicly available datasets for the dynamic handling qualities of UAM and eVTOL aircraft powered by all-electric or hybrid-electric propulsion systems.”
AeroVironment acquires VTOL drone maker Pulse Aerospace
AeroVironment says it has acquired Kansas-based Pulse Aerospace, which sells small unmanned helicopters, for $25.7 million in cash, financing the deal entirely from available cash on hand.
The deal includes milestone-based earn-out payments of $5 million, Simi Valley, California-based AeroVironment says, and adds new VTOL options to its UAS portfolio.
Pulse Aerospace sells small vertical takeoff and landing systems, along with its HeliSynth technology, which AV says "brings flight control, payload and endurance capabilities to market at attractive price points for both defense and commercial end markets."
Raptor Maps plans to expand global presence and develop new products using latest funding
Raptor Maps, a company that makes it simple and affordable for solar companies to adopt drone technology as a tool, has announced a new round of funding from veteran energy investors.
Raptor Maps develops software to build geospatial, digital models of photovoltaic (PV) system asset health. Over the last year, the company has analyzed more than 25 million solar panels in 21 countries across 6,000 MW. Uses include PV system inspection and verification, due diligence and construction site installation progression, to name a few.
Raytheon, United Technologies merge to form Raytheon Technologies Corporation
Raytheon and aerospace company United Technologies have entered into an agreement to combine in an all-stock merger of equals, resulting in a combined company called Raytheon Technologies Corp.
The transaction will create what the companies call a “premier systems provider with advanced technologies to address rapidly growing segments within aerospace and defense.” Together, the companies say that they will offer a complementary portfolio of platform-agnostic aerospace and defense technologies.
Autonomous vehicle startup Gatik AI emerges from stealth; partners with Walmart
According to TechCrunch, an autonomous vehicle startup called Gatik AI has come out of stealth with $4.5 million in funding.
Operating out of Palo Alto, California and Toronto, Canada, Gatik AI, which has already partnered with Walmart, and is launching a service with Walmart in the coming weeks, wants to use autonomous light-commercial trucks and vans to perform short hauls of goods between businesses.
