New York state’s first self-driving vehicle program will officially launch on Wednesday, Aug. 7 at the Brooklyn Navy Yard.
The program will feature autonomous vehicles from Optimus Ride, as six of the company's autonomous vehicles will be used to transport passengers between the NYC Ferry stop at Dock 72 and the Brooklyn Navy Yard’s Cumberland Gate at Flushing Avenue.
According to Optimus Ride, its vehicles will transport an expected 500 passengers per day and more than 16,000 passengers per month.
Technology
Technology
DroneResponders' research offers insight into public safety drone programs
DroneResponders, a non-profit program that supports public safety UAS, has unveiled a new report called the 2019 Mid-Year Public Safety UAS Report, which offers insight into how new public safety UAS programs are developing, and takes a look at the challenges that first responders who are using this techn
EasyMile driverless shuttle being tested at Texas Airport
An EasyMile EZ10 driverless shuttle is being tested at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) in Austin, Texas, as part of a new pilot program.
The shuttle is available to transport passengers traveling between the Barbara Jordan Terminal and the Rental Car Facility/Ground Transportation.
The shuttle will take passengers from the terminal to the front of the Rental Car Facility/Ground Transportation, which is also where the airport's ground transportation pick-up area for taxis and ride-app services is located.
AUS notes that other route options could be explored in further testing.
University of Alaska Fairbanks team completes first FAA-approved BVLOS mission in U.S.
A University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF)-led team recently completed the first FAA-approved true beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) domestic flight of a UAS in the United States under the small UAS rule.
A Skyfront Perimeter long range hybrid-electric UAS flew 3.87 miles as it inspected a portion of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline. Operators flew the UAS from the university’s Alaska Center for Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration.
K-State Polytechnic, Simlat partner to provide BVLOS simulator training
The Kansas State University Polytechnic Campus Applied Aviation Research Center has partnered with UAS simulation company Simlat to provide beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) simulator training.
The simulators will be part of a partnership with the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT), and initially will be used to train partners involved in the FAA’s UAS Integration Pilot Program. Course participants will receive a comprehensive training experience on simulation, as well as live flight events.
DJI introduces DJI Digital First Person Viewing Transmission System for drone racing
DJI has introduced its DJI Digital First Person Viewing (FPV) Transmission System, which it describes as an “advanced digital ecosystem” that includes FPV goggles, an FPV Air Unit Transmission Module, an FPV remote controller and an FPV camera.
UTA researchers, Lockheed Martin collaborating on project surrounding sensors on unmanned vehicles
Two University of Texas at Arlington researchers are working with Lockheed Martin to “optimize how unmanned vehicles use sensors to gather information.”
Frank Lewis, the Moncrief-O’Donnell Chair and professor of electrical engineering, and Yan Wan, an associate professor of electrical engineering, are helping Lockheed figure out how to use sensors on vehicles underwater, on the ground and in the air, to measure and predict the activities of a target.
EasyMile's NUSmart Shuttle begins passenger service at National University of Singapore
This week, EasyMile’s fully autonomous NUSmart Shuttle began passenger service at the National University of Singapore’s (NUS) Kent Ridge campus.
Part of a year-long study, the trial, which is free to all commuters, is designed to determine the commercial viability of providing safe autonomous shuttle bus services. The shuttle will operate along a predefined route.
“As a pioneer in autonomous vehicle technologies, EasyMile is proud to support its partners in testing the integration of our autonomous shuttle for public transportation,” says Alexandre Pequignot, EasyMile Business Development & Partnership manager for Asia Pacific.
AT&T, Badger Technologies partner on autonomous robots for retail
Badger Technologies is working with AT&T to enable autonomous robots with 5G wireless networking capabilities to accelerate retail automation.
According to Badger Technologies, its robots give retailers the ability to identify out-of-stock, mispriced or misplaced inventory, as well as store hazards, which ultimately helps improve operational efficiencies and customer experiences.
While these “advanced mobile data collection systems” can “fill major gaps in the collection and sharing of vital in-store data and images,” Badger Technologies says, they can also take a toll on a store’s existing Wi-Fi network.
