This Week in the Unmanned Systems and Robotics World
A culinary robotics company called Creator has designed an autonomous robot that cooks and builds burgers to order. The machine is made up of 20 computers, 350 sensors and 50 actuators that form a robotic assembly line. (CNBC)
MyDefence has launched a next generation wearable Counter UAS technology called PITBULL. PITBULL uses smart jamming to defeat enemy UAS. (MyDefence)
Technology
Technology
Liquid Robotics' Wave Glider USVs help study effects of lava flow from Hawaii's Kilauea Volcano
Liquid Robotics recently deployed two of its Wave Glider USVs to help scientist study the effects of the lava from Kilauea Volcano in Hawaii when it enters the ocean and the large plume it creates, as well as the impacts on marine life.
As evident by its name, the Wave Glider is wave powered, meaning that it doesn't require any fuel power other than the waves of the ocean to carry it place to place. In this particular use case, Wave Gliders provide researchers a no risk way to monitor the volcanic activity.
Schiebel's Camcopter S-100 UAS successfully completes trials for Belgian Navy
From June 21 to July 1, Schiebel “effectively demonstrated” the search and rescue and maritime surveillance capabilities of its Camcopter S-100 UAS to the Belgian Navy.
Schiebel's goals for the trials with the Belgian Navy were to build an enhanced knowledge base, and develop a successful concept of operations, for the use of UAS in support of search and rescue (SAR) operations, as well as intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) missions.
The demonstration flights were designed to show Camcopter's suitability for these capabilities. With this in mind, the Camcopter S-100 was equipped with two payloads, the L3 Wescam MX-10 and the Overwatch Imaging PT-8 Oceanwatch, as well as an automatic identification system (AIS) receiver and a rescue drop box.
Utah's Lindon Police Department and Orem Fire Department acquire UAS
In Utah County, Utah, the Lindon Police Department and Orem Fire Department recently acquired new UAS.
The UAS, which were acquired thanks to donations from Profire Energy, Inc., are expected to offer the departments a number of capabilities while dealing with various scenarios.
“This will be used for traffic accident investigations as well as other post-event investigations within Utah County, search and rescue and documenting Lindon city property,” says Sergeant Josh Edwards of the Lindon Police Department, via the Daily Herald.
AeroVironment’s new project slated to fly over Mars
Monrovia, California-based AeroVironment, which has built everything from a hummingbird-sized drone to high-flying solar aircraft, has built components for a new drone helicopter intended to fly much further afield: across the surface of Mars.
AV is working with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena to build the helicopter recently selected by the Mars Exploration Program, which is planned to fly across the Red Planet in less than three years.
“AeroVironment’s deep, rich and diverse history of innovation, combined with our experience with near-space aircraft like Pathfinder and Helios make us uniquely suited to collaborate with NASA and JPL on this historic, interplanetary venture,” says Wahid Nawabi, AeroVironment’s president and CEO.
Weekend Roundup
This week in the unmanned systems and robotics world
The Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control has deployed unmanned aircraft to survey growing damage caused by several wildfires in the state. An official said the information gathered by one of the drones is crucial to providing the department an estimate of the size of one of the fires. (The Independent)
Kroger, Nuro team for autonomous grocery delivery
No time to go to the store? Grocery giant Kroger and Silicon Valley company Nuro have announced a pilot program for a fully autonomous grocery delivery service.
The companies say that customers can place same-day delivery orders through Kroger’s ClickList system and Nuro’s app, and the orders will then be brought to the doorstep by a Nuro autonomous vehicle.
The pilot market will be announced soon, with deliveries expected to begin this fall. Kroger has 2,800 stores in 35 states.
Capital Metro launching autonomous vehicle project in Central Texas
Central Texas' transportation agency, Capital Metro, has announced that it will explore automated vehicle (AV) technology through evaluation demonstrations.
Testing could begin as early as late July. If testing goes well, a pilot service is expected to follow later this fall.
“Capital Metro wants to lead the charge - to be among the first transit agencies in the United States to showcase this technology to our 'smart' city. I believe this will be the largest public AV bus pilot in the country,” says Randy Clarke, Capital Metro's President/CEO.
GA-ASI to fly first trans-Atlantic flight of a MALE RPA in July
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. (GA-ASI) plans to make the first-ever trans-Atlantic flight of a Medium-altitude, Long-endurance (MALE) Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) on July 10-11.
GA-ASI’s company-owned MQ-9B SkyGuardian RPA is scheduled to fly from GA-ASI’s Flight Test and Training Center in Grand Forks, North Dakota to Royal Air Force (RAF) Fairford in Gloucestershire, UK.
GA-ASI has partnered with Inmarsat—the leading provider of global mobile satellite communications (SATCOM) services—for the trans-Atlantic flight. The MQ-9B’s ground control station will use Inmarsat’s SwiftBroadband SATCOM to communicate and control the aircraft.
KT Corp.'s emergency network service platform features UAS for search and rescue operations
South Korea's second-largest mobile carrier, KT Corp., has unveiled an emergency network service platform that features UAS for search and rescue operations.
Co-developed by a local UAS maker named Metismake Inc., the Skyship platform features a helium-powered airship and a high-resolution camera that can scan for mobile signals of people who need to be rescued.
Capable of scanning for LTE or high-end fifth-generation (5G) signals, the airship can determine a person's position “to within 50 meters” before sending UAS to find their exact location.
Once the signal of a survivor is picked up by the airship, the platform will deploy smaller UAS that will deliver emergency kits and supplies before actual rescue personnel arrive at the site.
