A researcher from MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab (CSAIL) has developed an obstacle-detection system that allows a drone to autonomously dip, dart and dive through a tree-filled field at upwards of 30 miles per hour. Continue reading
Category Archives: Research
DJI Moves R&D to Silicon Valley
DJI, the leading manufacturer of consumer drones, is building a new research and development center in Palo Alto, Calif., that could hold 75 or more engineers, according to several job listings posted in recent weeks. Continue reading
Harvard Scientists Develop Aerial-Aquatic RoboBee
Engineers have been trying to design functional aerial-aquatic vehicles for decades with little success. The biggest challenge is conflicting design requirements: aerial vehicles require large airfoils like wings or sails to generate lift while underwater vehicles need to minimize surface area to reduce drag. Continue reading
US Navy Funds Amphibious Drone Research
The Office of Naval Research has awarded Rutgers University a grant to develop a drone – equally adept at flying through the air and navigating underwater – that could speed search-and-rescue operations, monitor the spread of oil spills and even help the Navy rapidly defuse threats from underwater mines. Continue reading
DARPA Seeks Advanced Airborne Networking Capabilities for Hostile Environments
DARPA solicits proposals to enable manned and unmanned air systems to rapidly, securely, and automatically share information across diverse waveforms and networks despite adversary jamming. Continue reading
Unmanned NOAA Hexacopter Monitors Health of Endangered Southern Resident Killer Whales
A NOAA Fisheries research team flying a remotely operated hexacopter in Washington’s San Juan Islands in September collected high-resolution aerial photogrammetry images of all 81 Southern Resident killer whales that showed the endangered whales in robust condition and that several appear to be pregnant. Continue reading
University Tests Graphene-Coated UAV Wing
The city-based University of Central Lancashire is working on a research initiative, between the University of Central Lancashire’s Engineering Innovation Center (EIC), and The University of Manchester’s National Graphene Institute which has just seen the first flight of a UAV part-constructed with graphene. Continue reading
Sonar Navigation, Mapping System for UAVs
Researchers at the University of Georgia are working to bring a new level of precision to the navigation systems used to guide drones. The work is supported through a contract with Southern Company, one of the nation’s largest energy companies, which plans to use unmanned aircraft to enhance safety for crews in the field and improve reliability for customers. Continue reading