Last week, Iris Automation conducted a live drone flight demonstration of its Casia onboard Detect-and-Avoid (DAA) collision avoidance system for the City of Reno Fire Department. The demonstration was performed under the FAA’s UAS Integration Pilot Program (IPP).
During the demonstration, which took place in Nevada over the Carson River at Fort Churchill State Historic Park, a drone equipped with Casia showcased how this technology will be used to provide automated situational awareness for drones and their pilots. Casia enables safe beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) drone operations.
“Through this CONOP, we aim to implement rescue operations supported by drone technology within the Truckee River region in the near future,” says Reno Fire Chief Dave Cochran.
Software
Software
Teledyne Lumenera's Lt Series Board Level Cameras are ideally suited for UAVs
Teledyne Lumenera’s Lt Series Board Level Cameras offer a smaller, lighter, and lower cost imaging solution. Equipped with the latest rolling shutter Starvis™ CMOS sensors and global shutter Pregius™ CMOS sensors from Sony®, the cameras range in resolution from 2-12 megapixels, and provide the flexibility to meet the requirements of a wide variety of imaging systems.
Aquiline Drones signs exclusive U.S. manufacturing and distribution licensing agreements with Drone Volt
Drone solutions and aviation cloud company Aquiline Drones (AD) has signed exclusive U.S. manufacturing and distribution licensing agreements with Drone Volt (ALDRV.PA), a French aeronautic manufacturer of professional civilian drones, on-board artificial intelligence, edge computing and UAS production.
Under the terms of this five-year agreement, Aquiline Drones will take over the global production of two of Drone Volt’s UAS, the Hercules 2 and the Altura Zenith. Aquiline Drones will also be the sole manufacturer of the Pensar smart camera, which is a multispectral sensor equipped with artificial intelligence and edge computing capabilities.
Aquiline Drones will be the exclusive provider of the Hercules 2, Altura Zenith and the Pensar in the United States.
Parrot, FoxFury Lighting Solutions design tailored lighting system for Parrot's ANAFI drone
Parrot has partnered with professional drone lighting company FoxFury Lighting Solutions to enhance its ANAFI USA drone, which is designed for first responders and enterprise professionals.
The companies collaborated to develop a tailored system for ANAFI that allows professionals to attach up to three D10 lights modules on the drone.
Made in the U.S., the intuitive saddle mounting system and the lights provide up to 40 minutes of continuous use in “High” mode and 80 minutes in “Strobe” mode, with self-contained LiPo batteries. This solution will allow professionals from the public safety and inspection verticals to extend crucial work in the most extreme situations, such as a search and rescue mission at night or traveling through dimly lit structures like tunnels.
Volansi launches commercial healthcare drone delivery project in North Carolina
Volansi Inc. has launched a commercial healthcare drone delivery project in North Carolina.
In collaboration with pharmaceutical company Merck, Volansi is testing the delivery of cold chain medicines from Merck's Wilson, North Carolina manufacturing site to Vidant Healthplex-Wilson, a Vidant Health clinic, as the first of three phases in a project to learn about how drone technology can improve access to healthcare.
Accessing care in Eastern North Carolina can be challenging because of its vast and rural environment. During initial flights in the project, the first drone delivery of temperature-controlled medicines within the U.S were made.
Purdue University's UAS Program purchases Simlat’s UTM simulation
Simlat has announced that Purdue University’s UAS Program recently purchased and deployed Simlat’s simulation for UAS Traffic Management (UTM), POLARIS, along with Simlat’s C-Star UAS Simulator.
“We are excited to partner with Simlat and incorporate this innovative technology into our UAS program,” says Dr. Damon Lercel.
According to Simlat, POLARIS provides simulated UAS traffic at scale, simulating the behavior of “rogue” or malfunctioning UAS, while also generating the clutter made by thousands of automated flights.
SkySkopes named top drone service provider in the U.S. by Drone Industry Insights
SkySkopes has announced that it’s been named the top drone service provider (DSP) in the U.S., as well as one of the best globally, by Drone Industry Insights (Dii), the leading source for business intelligence in the field of commercial drones.
SkySkopes was ranked according to its size, consistent drone-industry development, global UAS market-share, growth, public awareness and online presence and activity.
“I’m truly delighted by Drone Industry Insights’ stratification of SkySkopes as the top DSP in the U.S.,” says SkySkopes CEO Matt Dunlevy.
FLIR Systems awarded $26 million contract modification in support of NBCRV SSU program for U.S. Army
In support of the Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Reconnaissance Vehicle Sensor Suite Upgrade (NBCRV SSU) program for the U.S. Army, FLIR Systems has been awarded a $26 million contract modification.
As a follow-on to a $48 million contract announced in April 2019, the Other Transaction Authority (OTA) agreement was awarded through the Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Defense (JPEO-CBRND).
Weekend Roundup: October 16, 2020
This Week in the Unmanned Systems and Robotics World
As part of an automated transportation trial in spring 2021, the latest version of Local Motors’ Olli driverless shuttles will begin operating in the city of Toronto next year. Expected to last six to 12 months, the test run will measure how well the autonomous vehicles will bolster Toronto’s mass transit system. (Engadget)
Iris Automation, partners granted Special Flight Operations Certificate for BVLOS UAS flights in uncontrolled airspace
Transport Canada has issued the second Special Flight Operations Certificate (SFOC) for Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) flights in uncontrolled airspace. The flights will utilize infrastructure masking and Iris Automation’s onboard detect-and-avoid (DAA) solution to MVT Geo-solutions.
Under this SFOC, MVT, the UAS Center of Excellence (CED Alma), and Iris Automation will work together to conduct commercial missions over linear power lines in Alma, Quebec. Under the approval, Iris Automation's DAA system, Casia, will be used. Casia provides commercial drones with automated collision avoidance maneuvers.
