Technology
Technology
Texas' Brownsville Police and Fire departments use UAS to locate elderly man
The Brownsville Police and Fire departments in Brownsville, Texas recently collaborated to locate a missing 88-year-old man using a UAS.
Approximately three hours after the man was reported missing, he was located in a grassy area by the fire department thanks to the UAS. The man was then transported to a local hospital, and as of Tuesday, Jan. 8, was in stable condition.
“This rescue was a team effort with a great response from the Brownsville Fire and Police Departments,” says Brownsville Fire Chief Jarrett V. Sheldon.
Sky Power GmbH unveils newly developed 2-stroke engine
Sky Power GmbH, which manufactures 2-stroke combustion- and Wankel engines for UAS and hybrid applications, has unveiled its newly developed 2-stroke engine, the SP-210 FI TS.
Based on the same engine concept as the company’s SP-110 FI TS, the SP-210 FI TS has a “max. 8,2 kW at 5000 rpm,” Sky Power says.
The SP-210 FI TS has a system carrier just like the SP-110 FI TS—although it is optionally offered without a system carrier as well—which is mounted above the cylinders with the two electronic systems of the HKZ215 ignition, as well as the engine injection system.
The injection system and the system carrier are screwed firmly together with the engine.
Purdue University researchers developing autonomous robot capable of interacting with humans
Researchers at Purdue University's School of Electrical and Computer Engineering are developing integrative language and vision software that could potentially enable an autonomous robot to not only interact with people in different environments, but also accomplish navigational goals.
Led by Associate Professor Jeffrey Mark Siskind, the research team—which also includes Doctoral candidates Thomas Ilyevsky and Jared Johansen—is developing a robot named Hosh that can integrate graphic and language data into its navigational process in order to locate a specific place or person.
Hosh is being developed thanks to a grant funded by the National Science Foundation’s National Robotics Initiative.
Sea Machines Robotics establishes new dealer program to further reach of its autonomous vessel control technology
Sea Machines Robotics has established a new dealer program that will be used to support the global sales of the company’s autonomous vessel control technology across key commercial marine markets.
The program includes several strategic partners who are authorized to sell, install and service Sea Machines’ line of intelligent command and control systems for workboats.
The Sea Machines dealer network includes several initial builders and specialists such as Marine Group Boat Works in San Diego, California, Pinpoint Electronics in Plymouth, United Kingdom, and Technology Ventures in the United Arab Emirates.
PowerVision Technology Group unveils new unmanned water technology
During CES 2019, UAS, robotics and data technologies’ company PowerVision Technology Group announced its new water drone offerings, which include PowerDolphin, PowerRay, and PowerSeeker.
Each offering is equipped with its own unique capabilities.
Capable of capturing 4K photography and video, PowerDolphin is equipped with both intelligent fishing functions and water mapping functions. With its external mounting equipment, the platform can find fish, lure fish, and perform troll fishing. It can also directly tow hooks and lure fish to any desired location.
Additionally, PowerDolphin’s front nose has a 220-degree dual-joint rotation 4K camera, allowing it to capture photos or video above water and underwater.
State Farm granted first national FAA waiver to conduct UAS flights over people and BVLOS
State Farm has become the first company in the U.S. to receive a national waiver from the FAA that allows it to conduct UAS operations over people (OOP) and flights beyond the pilot’s visual line of sight (BVLOS) through November 2022. Previously, State Farm received waivers that were limited to a short time frame and to specific geographic areas impacted by hurricanes.
A member of Virginia’s UAS Integration Pilot Program (IPP) team, State Farm says that the waiver will also open up new innovation opportunities for the company by allowing longer-distance flights.
“It’s been a team effort to make drone technology a reality,” says Senior Vice President for P&C Claims Robert Yi.
Project RACHEL's fuel cell powered UAS completes 70-minute flight
With a goal of developing a hydrogen fuel cell powered multi-rotor UAS, Project RACHEL recently eclipsed its original test flight target of 60 minutes with a five-kilogram payload, as the purpose-built fuel cell powered UAS flew for an uninterrupted 70 minutes carrying a five-kilogram payload.
The flight was completed using a UAS that had less than a 20-kilogram maximum take-off mass, using a six-liter cylinder containing hydrogen gas compressed to 300 bar.
Supported by Innovate UK, Project RACHEL is led by Productiv, a venture engineering company, on behalf of BATCAM, a UAS filming specialist based in the United Kingdom.
