EHang has announced that during the 2019 Northeast Asia Expo in August, it conducted the first passenger-carrying autonomous aerial vehicle (AAV) demonstration flight.
According to EHang, its passenger-grade AAV, EHang 216, has also completed similar public demonstration flights in other Chinese cities such as EHang's headquarters in Guangzhou, Lianyungang and Luzhi in Jiangsu province, Taizhou in Zhejiang province, Yantai in Shandong province and Shenyang in Liaoning province.
Testing
Testing
TomTom unveils fully autonomous test vehicle
TomTom has launched its fully autonomous test vehicle, which is designed to test and improve the location technology specialist’s autonomous driving technologies, which includes the TomTom High Definition (HD) Map, TomTom Roadagrams, and TomTom AutoStream, a map streaming service.
“Having our own autonomous vehicle is a critical advantage when it comes to developing the technology required for safe and comfortable autonomous driving,” says Willem Strijbosch, TomTom’s head of Autonomous Driving.
London Drugs, partners complete Canada's first BVLOS UAS flight carrying pharmaceuticals
London Drugs, Canada Post and InDro Robotics recently collaborated to successfully complete Canada’s first ever beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) flight carrying pharmaceuticals using a UAS.
During the flight, which was conducted on Aug 19., the UAS carried pharmaceuticals from a London Drugs pharmacy to remote Salt Spring Island in British Columbia.
“We are proud to have been selected to participate in the first trial of a Drone delivery of this kind in Canada,” says Chris Chiew, general manager of Pharmacy, London Drugs.
MIT says that its autonomous boats are now capable of shapeshifting
MIT has announced that its fleet of robotic boats has been updated so that it can now “shapeshift” by autonomously disconnecting and reassembling into various configurations to form floating structures in Amsterdam’s many canals.
Described as “rectangular hulls equipped with sensors, thrusters, microcontrollers, GPS modules, cameras, and other hardware,” the autonomous boats are being developed by MIT and the Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Metropolitan Solutions (AMS Institute), as part of an ongoing project known as “Roboat.”
Planck Aerosystems awarded $200,000 to test its small UAS in operational settings
Planck Aerosystems will begin testing its autonomous small UAS in operational settings, after the Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) announced that it has awarded the San Diego-based company $200,000.
Bell's Autonomous Pod Transport 70 successfully completes first autonomous flight
Bell Textron Inc. has announced that its Autonomous Pod Transport (APT) 70 has successfully completed its first autonomous flight at the company’s testing site near Fort Worth, Texas.
Throughout the rest of 2019, Bell plans to continue testing the vehicle under an experimental type certificate.
“We are excited to reach this milestone, and look forward to continuing to advance this technology for our customers,” says Scott Drennan, vice president, Innovation.
Sea Machines demonstrates how autonomous tech can increase safety of marine oil-spill response ops
Sea Machines Robotics has announced that as part of its cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Transportation Maritime Administration (MARAD), it successfully demonstrated its autonomous systems for use onboard a Kvichak Marco skimmer boat during events held along the Portland harbor on Aug. 21.
A Vigor/Kvichak Marine Industries-built skimmer boat was utilized during the on-water demonstrations. According to Sea Machines, the boat, which is owned by Marine Spill Response Corp. (MSRC), is the world’s first autonomous spill response vessel.
Karragarra Island on Redlands Coast selected as first location in Queensland to test driverless bus
Australia's Redland City Council and Queensland, Australia's peak motoring body RACQ have announced that Karragarra Island on Redlands Coast will be the first location in Queensland to test a driverless bus.
According to Mayor Karen Williams, the Council began looking into new technologies because better transportation options was a priority for residents.
“Redlands Coast has unique transport challenges that need innovative solutions, which is why we’re partnering with RACQ and Easy Mile on the Smart Mobility trial,” Williams says.
AATI, partners test delivering emergency supplies to first responders via UAS
American Aerospace Technologies Inc. (AATI) and its subsidiary company, Sky Scape Industries (SSI), recently successfully tested the concept of using UAS to deliver emergency supplies to first responders after disasters on behalf of the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA).
On July 24 and 25, AATI and SSI completed two UAS research flights at the Cape May-Lewes Ferry Terminal in Cape May, New Jersey. Other entities involved in the testing included the New Jersey Institute of Technology, New Jersey Innovation Institutes Unmanned Aviation Systems Test Site, the Delaware River & Bay Authority and the DLA.
AFRL, DZYNE Technologies successfully test Robotic Pilot Unmanned Conversion Program
On Aug. 9, the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) and DZYNE Technologies Inc. successfully completed the first flight of ROBOpilot, which they describe as a “revolutionary Robotic Pilot Unmanned Conversion Program.”
The flight, which lasted two hours, was conducted at Dugway Proving Ground in Utah.
“This flight test is a testament to AFRL’s ability to rapidly innovate technology from concept to application in a safe build up approach while still maintaining low cost and short timelines,” says Maj. Gen. William Cooley, AFRL Commander.
