Autonomous Systems researchers at ETH Zurich have demonstrated another drone capable of flying and hovering in any orientation, this time with higher efficiency. It’s extraordinary to watch its 12 coaxial rotors twisting and turning in flight. Continue reading
Category Archives: Research
FAA Awards $2.6M in 14 Drone Grants to Universities
U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao has announced the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is awarding $2.6 million in research, education, and training grants to universities that comprise the agency’s Air Transportation Center of Excellence (COE) for Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) also known as Alliance for System Safety of UAS through Research Excellence (ASSURE).
Learning Visuomotor Policies for Aerial Navigation
Sensing technologies have improved steadily, but the ability of robots to make decisions in real time based on what they perceive still has a long way to go to equal or surpass human capabilities. Researchers from Microsoft Corp., Carnegie Mellon University, and Oregon State University have been collaborating to improve perception-action loops. Continue reading
Final 3 Teams in First FirePoint C3 Challenge
The FirePoint Innovations Center at Wichita State University has announced the final three teams have been selected in the first-ever FirePoint C3 Challenge. With a combined $35,000 in funding to bring their concepts to life, the three teams will now begin putting their heads—and designs—together, collaborating to build the U.S. Army’s next-generation unmanned aerial vehicle concept (UAV). Continue reading
Quadcopter Can Detect and Avoid Fast-Moving Objects
Using a novel type of cameras, researchers from the University of Zurich have demonstrated a flying robot that can detect and avoid fast-moving objects. A step towards drones that can fly faster in harsh environments, accomplishing more in less time. Continue reading
Delair and BASF to Collaborate on Agricultural Research
BASF and Delair, a global provider of end-to-end visual data management solutions for enterprises, have announced their collaboration to scale up BASF’s research and development projects for seeds, traits and crop protection. Continue reading
US Navy Invents sUAS Radar with Mini-Mic on Propeller
Two U.S. Navy scientists have invented a passive, onboard collision avoidance system for small drones by attaching miniature microphones to the tips of propellers. Continue reading
Sandia Labs to Work on 3-year Project to Address UAS Threats
Camron Kouhestani, left, flies an unmanned aircraft system while Jaclynn Stubbs, center, and Bryana Woo monitor a camera stream at Sandia National Laboratories
Sandia National Laboratories robotics experts are working on a way to intercept enemy unmanned aircraft systems mid-flight. They successfully tested their concept indoors with a swarm of four unmanned aircraft systems that flew in unison, each carrying one corner of a net. Continue reading