A Canadian provider of UAS technology and systems called The Sky Guys has teamed up with NVIDIA, IBM and the University of Toronto to develop an artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled UAS platform to monitor Ontario’s 400-series highways, in response to the Vehicle Occupancy Detection Problem Statement from the Small Business Innovation Challenge.
Working closely with the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario (MTO) to develop this platform, the entities will complete this application, known as the “Long-Range AI-Enabled Unmanned Aerial System for Highway Traffic Enforcement with Future Road Applications,” using a $750,000 award from Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE), as part of the Small Business Innovation Challenge (SBIC).
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Measure announces new franchise location in Denver area
According to Unmanned Aerial Online, Measure, which provides UAS services for enterprise customers, has announced a new franchise location in Castle Rock, Colorado, which is in the Denver area.
The Castle Rock office will use UAS to provide infrastructure inspection services for businesses in the metropolitan area.
Congruex acquires UAV services company CCLD
A company called Congruex, which was established to build a nationwide platform that delivers a variety of services to broadband service providers and utility operators across the country, including end-to-end engineering, construction and maintenance services, has acquired an outside plant (OSP) telecommunications contracting firm called C.C.L.D. Technologies (CCLD).
Based in Buford, Georgia, CCLD operates across four lines of business, one of which is UAV services.
“We are eager to begin our partnership with Congruex to further accelerate our growth, industry capabilities and resulting market share,” says Brett Burke, Chief Executive Officer of CCLD.
San Diego State University launches Drone Lab
San Diego State University (SDSU) has launched its new Center for Unmanned Systems Technologies—also known as the Drone Lab—which will be used to “capitalize on its potential for crowd protection, surveillance and research while heading off potential dangers.”
Right now, SDSU students can fly their UAS on campus at two designated “fly zones,” but the school notes that it is a safety hazard to have too many UAS flying around campus, especially by pilots that are inexperienced.
Vanilla Aircraft's Heely says more to come from long-duration VA001 aircraft
Vanilla Aircraft's VA001 UAS recently completed a historic flight, as it flew for a little over five days for a total of 121.4 hours.
After executing a pilot-controlled takeoff on Oct. 18 from the NASA Wallops Flight Facility, the UAS switched to autopilot control and quietly orbited above Wallops Island's Virginia Space UAS Runway at 5,000 feet in a two-mile orbit.
DroneDeploy unveils "sweeping updates" to its enterprise software; announces new partnerships
According to Unmanned Aerial, DroneDeploy, which is a San Francisco-based UAS software platform provider, has unveiled “sweeping updates” to its enterprise software.
SunPower becomes first company to receive LAANC authorization through Skyward
Solar energy company SunPower Corp. has become the first company to receive approval from the FAA for “automatic access to operate a drone in regulated airspace over controlled airports.”
The new access category is called Low Altitude Authorization Capability (LAANC), and it was released a few weeks ago in a beta test at four airports, including San Jose (SJC), Cincinnati International Airport (CVG), Reno (RNO), and Lincoln (LNK).
SunPower received LAANC authorization through FAA-approved vendor Skyward.
“Digital, automated, free access to controlled airspace, in the form of LAANC, is one of the greatest moment(s) we've experienced in the U.S. commercial drone industry so far,” says Skyward Co-President Jonathan Evans.
Robonic Ltd Oy to deliver KONTIO launcher to Swedish Defence Materiel Administration
Tampere, Finland-based Robonic Ltd Oy has signed a contract that will result in the company delivering a third-generation KONTIO pneumatic launcher to the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV), which is expected to happen before the end of 2017.
The “high pressure pneumatic launcher” is designed to launch tactical UAS and target drones, and it is capable of catapulting different types of aerial target UAS. It is designed to launch air vehicles of up to “140 kg with a 70 m/s exit velocity or alternatively 500 kg at 37 m/s.”
Thanks to its large mass and speed envelope, the highly transportable universal launcher is “highly suitable” for various types of “targets or tactical unmanned aerial vehicle,” Robonic says.
Weekend Roundup
This Week in the Unmanned Systems and Robotics World
UAS users in the city of Haysville, Kansas will now be able to launch and land their aircraft in all of the city’s parks, thanks to a new UAS-use policy implemented this week. According to Haysville Chief Administrative Officer Will Black, this is the first time that UAS will be permitted to fly above public property. (KMUW)
Drone pilot program to help state, local governments weigh in on UAS integration
On Oct. 25, President Trump directed U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine L. Chao to launch the Innovative Drone Integration Pilot Program, an initiative which will “safely test and validate advanced operations” for UAS in partnership with state and local governments in select jurisdictions.
The move is seen as a way to give state and local governments some say in regulating UAS use, while not pre-empting the authority of the Federal Aviation Administration to oversee the nation’s airspace.
