Technology
Technology
North Carolina's Spring Lake Fire Department uses UAS to rescue stranded kayakers
The Spring Lake Fire Department in Spring Lake, North Carolina recently used its UAS to rescue stranded kayakers from the Little River.
Over multiple days, the department rescued seven people in two separate incidents. One rescue utilized a boat and took the department all morning to pull a family of five from the river. The other water rescue, though, utilized the department’s new UAS, and took just minutes.
“These drones can fly a lot faster than walking though woods and going down to the river in a boat so just making eye contact and putting a visual image on somebody is key to this,” says Drone Pilot Brandon Fitzhugh, via ABC 11.
Grand Sky, Harris create BVLOS 'super corridor'
Grand Sky Business and Aviation Park and Harris Corp. have announced that they have collaborated to enable the country’s first and largest UAS airspace to support beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) flight operations, as well as UAS Traffic Management (UTM) research.
Described as a “super corridor,” the BVLOS corridor, which stretches up to 100 miles, is the “most technologically sophisticated UAS airspace supported by multiple and redundant systems for cooperative and non-cooperative surveillance,” according to Grand Sky and Harris.
A variety of UAS BVLOS applications are possible thanks to these surveillance capabilities, including in oil and gas, public safety and package deliveries.
senseFly drones approved for Brazil's first-ever BVLOS operations
In collaboration with drone engineering and consulting specialists AL Drones and geotechnology company Santiago & Cintra, senseFly has announced that the National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC) has approved beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) flights to be carried out in Brazil for the first time in the country’s history, using UAS technology from senseFly.
SenseFly’s UAS can now be used for future BVLOS missions conducted by Brazilian drone operators.
“This is a momentous step forward for BVLOS operations in Brazil, and a really exciting time for the country’s expanding commercial drone industry,” says Pierre-Alain Marchand, regulatory compliance manager, senseFly.
Alta Devices announces new solar product for HALE market
Alta Devices has unveiled a new solar product that is designed to meet the specific needs of UAS that can serve as platforms for cellular and IoT connectivity.
According to Alta, the product, known as AnyLight Solar, combines “breakthrough” solar cell technology with several new inventions to provide features to maximize power, minimize weight, and provide sufficient protection from the harsh environment commonly found in the Earth’s stratosphere.
“Alta Devices recognizes that our aerospace customers need to innovate every aspect of these new and complex aircraft systems,” says Alta Devices CEO, Jian Ding.
Black Swift Technologies' S2 UAS to be deployed in Greenland for atmospheric research studies
Black Swift Technologies (BST) has announced that its Black Swift S2 UAS will be used to conduct high-altitude high-latitude atmospheric research studies in Greenland, as part of the international East Greenland Ice-Core Project (EastGRIP).
With support from the National Science Foundation (NSF), the work will be conducted by the Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research (INSTAAR), which is part of the University of Colorado Boulder.
The Black Swift S2 will operate at temperatures as low as -20 degrees Celsius or colder, and will be flying at altitudes up to 14,000 feet— right on the edge of commercial airspace, Black Swift notes—to make routine atmospheric measurements.
Locus Robotics raises $26 million in Series C funding
Locus Robotics, a developer of autonomous mobile robots for warehouses, has raised $26 million in Series C funding.
Locus will use the funding to scale production of its multi-bot platform for warehouse fulfillment. The funding will also be used to expand Locus' sales and marketing efforts, both in North America, and internationally.
“We have seen a massive uptick in demand for the flexible automation incorporated into Locus’s multi-bot solution, which is uniquely suited to address these challenges,” says Rick Faulk, CEO of Locus Robotics.
Virginia Tech engineers hope to redefine search and rescue protocols by teaming up human searchers with UAS
With the help of a grant from the National Science Foundation worth $1.5 million, a group of Virginia Tech engineers will pair up human researchers with UAS, in hopes of redefining search and rescue protocols.
Utilizing autonomous algorithms and machine learning, the UAS will complement search and rescue efforts from the air. Additionally, they will suggest tasks and send updated information to human searchers on the ground.
The researchers hope to make searches more effective by using mathematical models based on historical data that reflect what lost people actually do combined with typical searcher behavior, which balances autonomy with human collaboration.
FLIR Thermal Studio streamlines workflow and increases productivity for UAS users
FLIR Systems has introduced its new thermal image analysis and reporting software called FLIR Thermal Studio, which is designed to manage large sets of thermal images and videos.
According to FLIR, the software is engineered for thermographers who use FLIR thermal handheld cameras, optical gas imaging (OGI) cameras, and UAS with thermal cameras.
FLIR Thermal Studio is equipped with advanced processing capabilities and automation, which are designed to streamline and increase productivity.