Featured News

Trending News

<p><span style="color: #ba372a;"><em>11 May 2023</em></span></p>
<p class="speakable">Be the first in your group to launch a dead-bird drone?</p>
<p class="speakable">It could happen...</p>
<p class="speakable">The <span style="color: #ba372a;"><strong>American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics</strong></span> has revealed scientists have developed a method of attaching electronics to preserved bird carcasses to create "camouflaged" drones.</p>
<p class="speakable">Creepy.</p>
<p>These dead-bird drones are called "ornithopters," and they actually fly like living birds with mechanical propellers flapping their vampiric, taxidermy-conserved wings. Onboard electronics can include cameras, microphones, and other surveillance gear.</p>
<p>But this project is not solely about Big Brother&mdash;or Big Bird&mdash;watching over us. The primary directive of the reseachers is to explore methods of incorporating biomimicry into new technologies. In the case of dead-bird drones, the goal might be to offer scientists a less invasive and "natural" way to study wildfire.  &nbsp;</p>
<h5><span style="color: #ba372a;"><strong>Absorb More</strong></span></h5>
<p><iframe style="width: 665px; height: 374px;" title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bDCgt1vDpLY" width="665" height="374" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<h5><span style="color: #ba372a;"><strong>Robotic Bird Biomimicry&nbsp;</strong></span></h5>
<p><iframe style="width: 660px; height: 371px;" title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/w6VLzKACnS8" width="660" height="371" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>

Bird Biomimicry Informs New Drone Design

<p><span style="color: #ba372a;"><em>7 March 2023</em></span></p>
<p>Australian company <span style="color: #ba372a;"><a class="color-link" style="color: #ba372a;" title="https://www.sypaq.com.au/" href="https://www.sypaq.com.au/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" data-ga-track="ExternalLink:https://www.sypaq.com.au/" aria-label="SYPAQ"><strong>SYPAQ</strong></a>&nbsp;</span>is helping Ukraine bolster its drone fleet as the country continues its struggle to push back the Russian invasion of its nation.</p>
<p>However, the drones being delivered are not metallic Valkyries of air warfare. They are cardboard.</p>
<p><img src="https://media.thedroningcompany.com/images/tincy/MI0vQfgNgGSZbf0jdhZ8jvnUwyx3y6u0jC3Zb7fb.png" alt="" width="697" height="359" /></p>
<p>The SYPAQ <span style="color: #ba372a;"><strong>Corvo</strong></span> is a drone constructed from waxed cardboard that can be shipped in a flat package. Assembly is simple, requiring just a glue gun, knife, pen, tape, rubber bands, and a wrench to attach the Corvo's propeller. The Corvo can fly autonomously with a flight plan programmed via an Android tablet interface. It relies on GPS guidance when available, but should GPS be jammed by Russian electronic-warfare defenses, the Corvo's control software can determine its position from its speed and heading. The drone is launched from a simple catapult and has a range of 74 miles.</p>
<p>SYPAQ has not shared any additional specs for the Corvo, nor how much each drone costs, when they will be delivered, or how many they are supplying the Ukraine forces.&nbsp;</p>
<p>While the Australian Army uses the Corvo to deliver small and urgently needed supplies, the Ukrainian forces are giving it another job entirely: Surveillance, reconnaissance, and intelligence missions. In the future, the Corvo could be further adapted to deploy bombs.</p>
<p><img src="https://media.thedroningcompany.com/images/tincy/2hYDingIHUuFVSHThhadXaOJ9jG1S8WhkNSJJ3UO.png" alt="" width="451" height="311" /></p>
<p>Of course, cardboard is not as tough as some other materials, so the Corvo's mission lifespan may be short. However, other, more robust and low-cost materials such as plywood could conceivably be incorporated into the drone's airframe.</p>
<p>SYPAQ is currently working on swarming software that could spell trouble for enemies when thousands of inexpensive and expendable Corvo drones descend on a target. That's a lot of drones, but an entire fleet of Corvos likely costs significantly less than one $20 million Reaper.&nbsp;</p>
<h5><span style="color: #ba372a;"><strong>Learn More</strong></span></h5>
<p><iframe style="width: 674px; height: 379px;" title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-k-2W23s3Ys" width="674" height="379" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>

Fear the Cardboard Drones

<p><span style="color: #ba372a;"><em>28 February 2023</em></span></p>
<p>The Department of Defense and Seattle's <a href="https://realnetworks.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="color: #ba372a;"><strong>RealNetworks</strong></span></a> company are reportedly developing AI-driven facial-recognition capabilities for U.S. Air Force autonomous drones.&nbsp;</p>
<p>"The U.S. Air Force has completed a project to develop face-recognition software for autonomous drones, sparking concerns that individuals could be targeted and killed," reported the <em>New Scientist,&nbsp;</em>which also revealed the contract between the DoD and RealNetworks is worth around $800,000.</p>
<p>RealNetworks has stated its technology may be deployed for domestic search operations, perimeter security and rescue missions, although automated weaponry is becoming more and crucial hardware for the military. As a result, significant moral and legal concerns are being raised regarding facial-recognition on combat drones.</p>
<p>Privacy advocates fear abuses of facial-recognition technology, but the software is already in relatively wide-spread use.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Libyan troops has been employing drones with the tech since 2021, according to the U.N.</p>
<p>It's not always used by the military.</p>
<p>For example, Dubai police use drones loaded with facial-recognition tech to identify dangerous drivers, and China deploys these types of drones, as well.</p>
<p>In the United States, there are no <em>federal</em> regulations governing facial recognition technology. However, Portland, Oregon has a very harsh ban on using the tech on drones, and the New York Civil Liberties Union has cautioned against its use. The use of FRT by the government has been banned in the California cities of San Francisco, Berkeley, and Oakland. Vermont has the first state to outlaw FRT-equipped drones by government agencies&mdash;although they may be used with a warrant, or for any action against the sex exploitation of children and human trafficking.</p>
<h5><span style="color: #ba372a;"><strong>Learn More</strong></span></h5>
<p><iframe style="width: 677px; height: 381px;" title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Kuj8Qc2_9VE" width="677" height="381" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>

U.S. Air Force Reveals AI-powered drones with facial recognition tech

<p><span style="color: #ba372a;"><em>6 February 2023</em></span></p>
<p>Mirs-X&mdash;a prototype drone developed by professor Ben Chen and his team at the Chinese University of Hong Kong&mdash;can zoom in the air for about six minutes or dive underwater for 40 minutes.</p>
<p>As reported by <em><a href="https://www.newscientist.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="color: #ba372a;"><strong>New Scientist</strong></span></a>,</em> the drone is waterproof to depths of up to ten feet. Given its dual role in the sky and under the sea, Mirs-X is a possible future asset for search and rescue operations and insfrastructure inspections.</p>
<h5><span style="color: #ba372a;"><strong>Watch!</strong></span></h5>
<p><iframe style="width: 686px; height: 386px;" title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/jlMDabBfJp0" width="686" height="386" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>

New Drone Can Fly and Dive

Evolving Tech

<p><span style="color: #ba372a;"><em>2 February 2023</em></span></p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #ba372a;"><a style="color: #ba372a;" href="http://www.uavnavigation.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">UAV Navigation-Grupo Oes&iacute;a</a></span> </strong>has developed the <a href="https://www.uavnavigation.com/products/ground-control-station/GHU100" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="color: #ba372a;"><strong>GHU-100</strong></span></a>&mdash;a new ground-control hub that helps platform manufacturers connect multiple ground devices (PC, datalinks, joysticks, etc.) and form a single network segment.<strong> </strong></p>
<p>The GHU-100 is engineered to tackle the most demanding missions faced by UAVs, from maritime operations to multi-UAV coordination and support for multiple GCS control. It's tailor-made to handle the complex and challenging scenarios the industry demands. The GHU-100, like all UAV Navigation-Grupo Oes&iacute;a products, is built with safety in mind, implementing critical functionalities on a self-developed RTOS to ensure secure missions in all environments.</p>
<p>&nbsp;"The GHU-100 represents the next step in our Ground Control modem's evolution," says <span style="color: #ba372a;"><strong>Miguel &Aacute;ngel de Frutos</strong></span>, Business Unit Director &amp; CTO at UAV Navigation-Grupo Oes&iacute;a. "As the industry rapidly evolves, our products must too, so they meet the new challenges of the unmanned field,"&nbsp;</p>
<h5><span style="color: #ba372a;"><strong>Learn More About GHU-100</strong></span></h5>
<p><iframe style="width: 681px; height: 383px;" title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FNhYQQOW_C4" width="681" height="383" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>The GHU-100 has been designed to increase the system&rsquo;s robustness while maintaining a high flexibility thanks to its extensive I/O capabilities that make it easy to integrate into complex and advanced GCS architectures.</p>
<p>The new GHU-100 has been designed by applying the extensive experience acquired from more than 18 years of UAV Navigation-Grupo Oes&iacute;a's experience, developing innovative guidance, navigation and control solutions for UAS. This way, the Spanish Company keeps driving the revolution of intelligent and autonomous systems.</p>
<h5><span style="color: #ba372a;"><strong>About UAV Navigation-Grupo Oes&iacute;a</strong></span></h5>
<p>UAV Navigation is a private company based in Madrid with 100-percent Spanish capital. It has specialised in the design of guidance, navigation and control solutions (GNC)&nbsp;for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) since 2004. The flight control solutions are characterised by their reliability and robustness. They are used on all kinds of platforms and in all weather conditions. These include high-performance tactical unmanned aircraft, VTOL fixed-wing platforms, aerial targets, mini-UAVs, and helicopters.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p>UAV Navigation is part of the multinational Oesia Group, a Spanish group of companies with more than 45-years experience designing, developing, and maintaining cutting-edge technology for the security, defence and aerospace sectors. It also has a long history of work in avionics for national-level projects. The Oesia Group is involved in the whole system life cycle (design, development, qualification, and maintenance) of critical and non-critical flight systems for the Eurofighter EF-2000, A-400M, F-18, C-295, P3-B Ori&oacute;n or MH-60R. The Group is now involved in the most challenging UAV projects, such as the FCAS/NGWS, Eurodrone and SIRTAP.</p>
<p>Oesia Group has over 3,500 employees with 15 offices in Spain and America. It is working on projects in 23 different countries with the main purpose of creating a better, more efficient, safer, and sustainable world. UAV Navigation uses a worldwide network of distributors to supply its cutting-edge capabilities around the world.&nbsp;</p>

UAV Navigation-Grupo Oesía releases GHU-100 Ground Control Hub 

Software

<p><span style="color: #ba372a;"><em>31 January 2023</em></span></p>
<p><a href="https://sky-drones.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="color: #ba372a;"><strong>Sky-Drones</strong></span></a>&rsquo; mission is to accelerate the development and adoption of unmanned air vehicles for enterprise by building connected hardware and software products for drone manufacturers and commercial drone service providers.</p>
<p>Our offering covers everything necessary for commercial drone operation, from flight control and connectivity to cloud based fleet management software. We truly believe that the power of drones lies in perfectly matched software and hardware - and that our technology helps drone vendors reduce their time to market from years down to a few months or, sometimes, even just weeks.</p>
<p>Since its launch in April 2021, AIRLink has been a central component of our drone ecosystem. Standing for Artificial Intelligence &amp; Remote Link, it is the world&rsquo;s most advanced compact and fully integrated avionics device for enterprise zones. The original AIRLink 4G version, featuring AI capabilities and LTE connectivity, has been hugely successful ever since its market introduction.</p>
<h5><span style="color: #ba372a;"><strong>AIRLink 5G&nbsp;</strong></span></h5>
<p>Sky-Drones has now built on that success to launch AIRLink 5G&mdash;a next-generation avionics device allowing manufacturers and users to rely even more on real time connectivity. Its integrated 5G connectivity module provides lower latency and higher bandwidth than the 4G option. Key benefits include up to 600 megabits per second bandwidth with sub 6 gigahertz and millimetre wave operation. It communicates via four LTE antennas, compared with two for the original model.</p>
<p>The two modules are mechanically compatible, with identical mounting holes, connectors, peripherals, and other components; this makes 4G to 5G transition smooth and easy for existing customers, so they can resume airborne operation with minimal disruption or delay.</p>
<p>AIRLink comprises an artificial intelligence mission computer and cutting-edge autopilot capabilities. The integrated, triple redundant, vibration damped, temperature stabilised inertial measurement unit (IMU) provides solid flight stability even when operating in extreme environmental conditions. The UK-manufactured product is approved by JRL/JTBL, FCC, PTCRB, RED, and GCF.</p>
<p>Sky-Drones supports customers through each step of their drone development, with three AIRLink editions. The Enterprise Edition provides a quick start, with easy evaluation and installation for prototyping or low volume production. The Core Edition allows customers to optimise their design with deeper integration for medium volume production. Finally, they can use the Ref Design Edition for deep customisation and locally based high volume production.</p>
<h5><span style="color: #ba372a;"><strong>AIRLink-Enabled Fleets Enhance Autonomy&nbsp;</strong></span></h5>
<p>SmartAP AIRLink supports any UAV airframe&mdash;from fixed wing to VTOL&mdash;all of which can be controlled simultaneously using our SmartAP ground control software. Mission team members can monitor flight progress in real time with 5G using Sky-Drones&rsquo; cloud from anywhere in the world.</p>
<p>&ldquo;The AIRLink 5G comes in a compact, rugged box and has everything you need to start using the system&rdquo; comments <span style="color: #ba372a;"><strong>Kirill Shilov</strong></span>, founder and CEO of Sky-Drones. &ldquo;The package includes &nbsp;GPS module, telemetry system, air module, route module, and all accessories like cameras, cables, antennas and everything you might need to get the unit up and running.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Once deployed, AIRLink-enabled fleets are pushing drone autonomy to the next level, with onboard artificial intelligence and computer vision. Unmanned traffic management integration, real time flight authorizations, real time data streaming and Big Data-driven AI inspired machine learning flight log analytics are all further opportunities opened up by SmartAP AIRLink by Sky-Drones&mdash;the industry&rsquo;s leading artificial intelligence remote link.&rdquo;</p>
<h5><span style="color: #ba372a;"><strong>Watch: SmartAP AIRLink</strong></span></h5>
<p><iframe style="width: 674px; height: 379px;" title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VcBx9DLPN54" width="674" height="379" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>

Sky-Drones AIRLink drone avionics

<div class="MarkUpWrapper-sc-t20i90-0 kGIdjw" data-testid="HtmlContent">
<p><span style="color: #ba372a;"><em>30 January 2023</em></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #ba372a;"><strong>Ford Motor Company</strong></span>'s Global Technologies subsidiary has been not-so-quietly churning out patent applications for myriad drone operations. The carmaker just published such a patent for a moonroof drone-docking system on January 10, 2023.</p>
<p>Past concepts have included a drone stored in the back of a Ford F-150 truck that would deploy after a crash, a "survelliance" drone that would assess traffic conditions beyond the sight of the driver, and even a delivery drone that would bring food to the car in the event of a massive traffic jam or a breakdown.</p>
</div>
<div data-testid="HtmlContentSpliced">
<div class="sc-bdfBQB knHkjA" data-testid="PromosInContent">Ford is definitely interested in synergies&mdash;both on land and at sea&mdash;between drones and vehicles. In addition to different uses, the company is also strategizing how drones can be paired with cars without creating any public-safety issues or concerns. How a drone can land safely on a moving vehicle is one of those design considerations.</div>
</div>
<div class="MarkUpWrapper-sc-t20i90-0 kGIdjw" data-testid="HtmlContent">&nbsp;</div>
<div data-testid="HtmlContentSpliced">
<div class="sc-bdfBQB gDxROi">
<div class="sc-bdfBQB eUpbTx">
<h5><span style="color: #ba372a;"><strong>See the Moonroof Dock Patent</strong></span></h5>
<p><img src="https://media.thedroningcompany.com/images/tincy/VMx6lUVUJ76ncqcFm5edb7TbleYRNsQ30uO4gC9c.png" alt="" width="629" height="750" /></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
</div>
</div>
</div>

Ford Patent on Moonroof Drone Dock Published

<p><span style="color: #ba372a;"><em>20 January 2023</em></span></p>
<p>In 2022, the FAA mandated that every single uncrewed aircraft made and/or sold in America must transmit Remote ID by September 16, 2023.</p>
<p>According to the FAA website, Remote ID allows the FAA, law enforcement, and other federal agencies to identify the control station when a drone&nbsp; flys in an unsafe manner or where it is not allowed to operate. In addition, as more drones fill the airways and undertake myriad tasks, Remote ID will assist in ensuring complex drone operations are safe and secure.</p>
<p>Foreseeing the Remote ID future, drone-sensing company <a href="https://hiddenlevel.com/about/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="color: #ba372a;"><strong>Hidden Level</strong></span></a> devised its <a href="https://hiddenlevel.com/about/services/airspace-monitoring-service/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="color: #ba372a;"><strong>Airspace Monitoring Service</strong></span></a> (AMS) to track Remote ID, as well as identify drones that either fail to broadcast the required information, or that provide false Remote ID data.</p>
<p>Hidden Level provided its AMS system to the FAA for evaluation last year, and will continue to support the government agency's Airport Unmanned Aircraft Systems Detection and Mitigation Research Program and Saab&rsquo;s SAFE Airport Event Management system.</p>
<p>"Our AMS can be deployed on existing rooftops and cell towers," Hidden Level CEO <span style="color: #ba372a;"><strong>Jeff Cole</strong></span> said to <span style="color: #ba372a;"><a style="color: #ba372a;" href="https://www.aviationtoday.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em><strong>Aviation Today</strong></em></a></span>. "The focus is on blanketing low-altitude urban airspace to monitor manned aircraft and drone traffic to enable drone delivery, urban air mobility, and other initiatives, while at the same time addressing security and safety concerns."</p>
<p>The privacy-compliant AMS technology does more than "scan" Remote ID like a automobile transponder collecting fees at a toll bridge.</p>
<p>"Remote ID is meant to be a license plate and a transmission of where you are," explained Cole. "We get that information and also detect where it is by hearing a signal in space. We verify and validate that the target is real, the position being reported is accurate, and that the data is not spoofed. If you just relied on that signal telling you where it is, you don&rsquo;t know if it&rsquo;s actually there.&nbsp;There are a lot of different systems that can receive Remote ID. We are a broad frequency solution that is built for evolution. As the technology potentially moves into other frequency areas&mdash;such as 5G or different aspects of the spectrum based on what the SEC may allocate&mdash;AMS will still be able to detect, verify, and validate drone positions."</p>
<p>AMS can also integrate with <em>all</em> the different parties responsible for security and urban-air mobility, rather than, say, the FAA become solely reponsible for the data.&nbsp;</p>
<p>"Once you show [a security team] the amount of traffic out there, it triggers a lot of concern," said Cole. "When it comes to a security mission&mdash;a stadium event, a first responder or officer, or potentially an agency that&rsquo;s involved&mdash;each user will have different operations to work in. Our data can integrate into each one, so the teams can reference the same information and work in harmony quicker."</p>
<h5><span style="color: #ba372a;"><strong>Watch!</strong></span></h5>
<p><iframe style="width: 686px; height: 386px;" title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mIqkN5KN27U" width="686" height="386" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>

Hidden Level's Airspace Monitoring Service is Ready for Remote ID

<p><span style="color: #34495e;"><strong><em>The Manta undersea drone.</em></strong></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #ba372a;"><em>11 January 2023</em></span></p>
<p class="Paragraph-sc-1tqpf5s-0 kEzXdV body-paragraph body-paragraph">In September 2022, the Nord Stream natural gas pipelines in the Central Baltic Sea were sabatoged.</p>
<p class="Paragraph-sc-1tqpf5s-0 kEzXdV body-paragraph body-paragraph">A series of explosions caused several leaks and rendered three pipes inoperable. The pipeline was built to transport natural gas from Russia to Germany, and the majority shareholder in the project is Russia's state-owned gas company Gazprom. However, the leaks were located in international waters that are not part of any nation's territorial sea.</p>
<p class="Paragraph-sc-1tqpf5s-0 kEzXdV body-paragraph body-paragraph">Protecting valuable assets and infrastructure&mdash;such as energy and communications cables&mdash;that run through several different countries is a nightmare, especially when questions who is in charge come into play.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="Paragraph-sc-1tqpf5s-0 kEzXdV body-paragraph body-paragraph">"Protecting critical underwater infrastructure has a lot to do with understanding, by way of sensors, what is going on around cables and pipelines," says Sebastian Bruns, a naval expert at the University of Kiel in northern Germany. "Observing hard-to-reach places deep below the surface is challenging enough. Being able to do it at the scale required is another. An analogy would be the assignment of two cop cars to watch over the entire highway network of the United States.&rdquo;&nbsp;</p>
<p class="Paragraph-sc-1tqpf5s-0 kEzXdV body-paragraph body-paragraph">Plans are in development by individual countries and the European Union. For example, Italy is prepping a proposal for seabed infrastructure protection managed by small, multinational government and industry teams. Also planned is an examination of national governance mechanisms that touch underwater infrastructure protection.</p>
<p class="Paragraph-sc-1tqpf5s-0 kEzXdV body-paragraph body-paragraph">France was the first European country to launch a seabed warfare strategy in February 2022, as protection against Russia and China's own investments in seabed warfare&mdash;which has little to do with the gritty yet romantic ideal of submarine warriors. Seabed combat of the very near future will likely deploy unmanned underwater drones, moving mine fields, and other such devices.</p>
<p class="Paragraph-sc-1tqpf5s-0 kEzXdV body-paragraph body-paragraph">All of this points to a critical need to protect transoceanic cables and gas pipelines.</p>
<p class="Paragraph-sc-1tqpf5s-0 kEzXdV body-paragraph body-paragraph">In the case of France, the country's seabed strategy reports that of the approximately 450 submarine cables delivering 99 percent of intercontinental digital-data exchanges, 51 are within French national territory and 24 reside in French territories overseas. Currently, France is missing the depth to guard the cables with undersea drones. Its H1000 Ulisse and the H2000 Diomede remotely operated crafts are only capable of diving to a depth of 3,200 feet, while 97 percent of the accessible seabed sits at a depth of approximately 20,000 feet.</p>
<p class="Paragraph-sc-1tqpf5s-0 kEzXdV body-paragraph body-paragraph">Not surprisingly, France's Armed Forces Ministry is investing in the development of deep-sea drones that can operate down at 10,000 feet, and, ultimately 20,000 feet.</p>
<p class="Paragraph-sc-1tqpf5s-0 kEzXdV body-paragraph body-paragraph">Non-military firms are also in the hunt.&nbsp;</p>
<figure>
<div class="LazyMedia-sc-1vxvan1-0 ZVwHY  f-lazyMedia"><span style="color: #34495e;"><picture class="Image__StyledPicture-sc-8yioqf-0 iKCNis">France's</picture><picture class="Image__StyledPicture-sc-8yioqf-0 iKCNis"> Marine Tech and Hologarde have partnered to develop the Manta unmanned hybrid drone&mdash;an all-electric vehicle envisioned as operating as an underwater subsurface vehicle (at 10 feet deep); as an </picture><picture class="Image__StyledPicture-sc-8yioqf-0 iKCNis">autonomous, unmanned </picture><picture class="Image__StyledPicture-sc-8yioqf-0 iKCNis">drone (1,000 feet); and as a platform able to operate at 20,000 feet. </picture>The Manta can provide ocean mapping, reconnaissance, and underwater interventions, and initial target customers for 2023 are Middle-Eastern gas and oil companies.&nbsp;</span></div>
<h5 class="LazyMedia-sc-1vxvan1-0 ZVwHY  f-lazyMedia">&nbsp;</h5>
<h5 class="LazyMedia-sc-1vxvan1-0 ZVwHY  f-lazyMedia"><span style="color: #ba372a;"><strong>Watch the Manta in Action</strong></span></h5>
<div class="LazyMedia-sc-1vxvan1-0 ZVwHY  f-lazyMedia">&nbsp;</div>
<div class="LazyMedia-sc-1vxvan1-0 ZVwHY  f-lazyMedia"><iframe style="width: 681px; height: 383px;" title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/DmDqI3cfhp0" width="681" height="383" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div>
</figure>

Drones: Protectors of the Seas?

<p><strong><em><span style="color: #34495e;">Above photo of optics-driven drones courtesy of Northwestern Polytechnical University.</span></em></strong></p>
<p><span style="color: #ba372a;"><em>09 January 2023</em></span></p>
<div data-v-8b9710f6="">
<p class="generic-article__body article-details-type--p content--p" data-v-e6531554="" data-v-8b9710f6="">Researchers in northwest China are using high-energy laser systems and photoelectric conversion modules to convert light energy into electricity, and therefore power a drone for unending flight.</p>
</div>
<div data-v-8b9710f6="">
<div data-v-4783ca8a="" data-v-8b9710f6="">
<div data-v-4783ca8a="">
<div data-v-4783ca8a="">
<div class="details__body body" data-v-8b9710f6="">
<div data-v-8b9710f6="">
<div class="generic-article__body article-details-type--outstream-1 content--outstream-1" data-v-e6531554="" data-v-8b9710f6="">
<div class="outstream__ad-container outstream__ad-container--size-1x1">
<div id="div-outstream-ad-cd78e580-904c-11ed-99ec-6b39e5fb9a87" class="inner" data-google-query-id="CL__1qyRu_wCFcrg_QUdKVwNOA">
<div class="AV62af35d851923c62777207b4">
<div id="aniBox">
<div id="aniplayer_AV62af35d851923c62777207b4-1673289555107">
<div id="aniplayer_AV62af35d851923c62777207b4-1673289555107gui">
<div>Professor Li Xuelong and his team from Northwestern Polytechnical University's school of artificial intelligence, optics and electronics has reported they have combined an autonomous charging process with intelligent signal transmission and processing technology.</div>
<div>&nbsp;</div>
<div>&ldquo;Highlights of the research are 24-hour intelligent vision tracking system and the autonomous long-range energy replenishment for optics-driven drones,&rdquo; announced the team on NPU&rsquo;s official WeChat account, after conducting successful field tests of indoor, outdoor day time, and outdoor night time flights.</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="" data-v-4783ca8a="" data-v-8b9710f6="">
<div data-v-4783ca8a="">
<div data-v-4783ca8a="">
<div class="details__body body body--next" data-v-8b9710f6="">
<div class="paywalled-content" data-v-8b9710f6="">
<div data-v-8b9710f6="">Of course, when a drone is let loose in the airspace for extended periods, tracking it precisely becomes a critical concern, and the researchers acknowledged this was the first challenge.</div>
<div data-v-8b9710f6="">&nbsp;</div>
<div data-v-8b9710f6="">Happily, the team's tracking algorithm delivered successful tolerance with illumination, scale, and rotation. It also proved workable in a number of environments to achieve accurrate positioning of drones. However, to allow for distant transmission of wireless energy, Li's team had to diminish the attenuation of a laser beam in the atmosphere. The solution was adaptive beam-shaping technology that autonomously adjusted its intensity, diminishing any problematic or negative episodes of air turbulence and density changes in the atmosphere. A safety feature was also added to the algorithm that automatically brings laser power to a safe range whenever an object or obstacle is identified in the path of the beam.</div>
<div data-v-8b9710f6="">&nbsp;</div>
<div data-v-8b9710f6="">
<div class="generic-article__body article-details-type--div content--div methode-html-wrapper oembed-wrapper" data-v-e6531554="" data-v-8b9710f6="">
<div class="youtube-video-container generic-article__body article-details-type--iframe content--iframe c1" data-v-90c0586e="" data-v-e6531554="" data-poster-sm="https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/768x768/public/d8/video/thumbnail/2022/09/05/clean.jpg?itok=I7BvWipy" data-poster-lg="https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/wide_landscape/public/d8/video/thumbnail/2022/09/05/clean.jpg?itok=4VODLmpK" data-poster="https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/d8/video/thumbnail/2022/09/05/clean.jpg" data-duration="01:10" data-video-source="SCMP" data-nid="3191368" data-youtube-id="mEU0QF53tXY">
<div class="youtube-video-container__container" data-v-90c0586e="">
<div class="youtube-video-container__observer-wrapper" data-v-90c0586e="">
<div class="youtube-video-container__observer" data-v-90c0586e="">Although eternally flying drones could have worrisome applications as military and combat devices, the report focused on first-responder assistance.</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div data-v-8b9710f6="">&nbsp;</div>
<div data-v-8b9710f6="">&ldquo;In some time-consuming missions, such as searching for tourists trapped in flash floods, the continuous flight of drones will greatly save precious rescue time," stated the Northwestern Polytechnical University report. "Optics-driven drones are expected to deeply participate in social governance, such as traffic control, security patrols, rescues in disasters, and contactless logistics. In the future, large drones can be transformed into air buses to build a three-dimensional traffic network. We can even create a &lsquo;low-altitude satellite&rsquo; or &lsquo;artificial moon&rsquo; with this technology.&rdquo;</div>
<div data-v-8b9710f6="">&nbsp;</div>
<div data-v-8b9710f6="">Get more info from the original report by <span style="color: #ba372a;"><a style="color: #ba372a;" href="https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3205885/chinese-scientists-develop-laser-powered-drone-stay-aloft-forever" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>South China Morning Post</strong></a></span>.</div>
<h5><span style="color: #ba372a;"><strong>Other News: China's Solar-Powered "Drone Satellite"</strong></span></h5>
<div data-v-8b9710f6="">&nbsp;</div>
<div data-v-8b9710f6=""><iframe style="width: 656px; height: 369px;" title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mEU0QF53tXY" width="656" height="369" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>

Featured News Trending NewsBird Biomimicry Informs New Drone Design

Featured News Trending NewsFear the Cardboard Drones

Featured News Trending NewsU.S. Air Force Reveals AI-powered drones with facial recognition tech

Featured News Trending NewsNew Drone Can Fly and Dive

Featured News Evolving TechUAV Navigation-Grupo Oesía releases GHU-100 Ground Control Hub

Featured News SoftwareSky-Drones AIRLink drone avionics

Featured News Trending NewsFord Patent on Moonroof Drone Dock Published

Featured News Evolving TechHidden Level's Airspace Monitoring Service is Ready for Remote ID

Featured News Trending NewsDrones: Protectors of the Seas?

Featured News Evolving TechChina Develops "Immortal" Drone

Get Our Newsletter!