A team of researchers at Johns Hopkins University, led by the Institute for Assured Autonomy’s Lanier Watkins and Louis Whitcomb , has used artificial intelligence to model a system that could more safely orchestrate drone traffic by replacing some human-in-the-loop processes with autonomous decision-making. Continue reading
Category Archives: Research
US Navy Funds Research on Automating Aircraft Landings on Rough Seas
Texas A&M engineers are using machine learning to help automate the ship-landing process by mimicking a helicopter pilot’s behaviour. Continue reading
NATS Survey Finds that Majority of UK Public Supports Use of Drones
The majority of the UK public now supports the use of drones for a wide variety of applications, according to a new study by the air traffic control service, NATS. Continue reading
New Drone Research Advances Wildfire Monitoring
Typically, the primary indicator of a burgeoning wildfire in California is a plume of hazy, gray smoke wafting through the air, seen by satellites or cameras. The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or CalFire, is alerted, and mitigation and containment efforts ensue. Continue reading
MIT Trains Drones to Perform Mid-Flight Acrobatics
MIT researchers have created a new algorithm to enable more complex maneuvering capabilities in tailsitter drones. The novel design could have potential applications in search-and-rescue missions, as well as for deliveries in remote or difficult-to-access locations. Continue reading
Global Agriculture Robots Markets Forecast to Grow to $40Bn + by 2028
The agricultural robots market is projected to grow from USD 13.5 Billion in 2023 to USD 40.1 Billion by 2028, at a CAGR of 24.3% during the forecast period. Increased awareness about digital agriculture is driving the widespread usage of agriculture robots as farmers recognize the transformative potential of advanced technologies in modernizing and optimizing farming practices. Continue reading
Drones Can Lock Together in Mid-Air to Form a Bigger, Stronger Robot
A drone’s size affects what it can—or can’t—do. If a drone is too small, it may be limited in the types of tasks it can complete, or the amount of heavy lifting it can do. But if a drone is too big, it may be difficult to get it up in the air or have it navigate around tricky structures, but it may make up for that in other ways. Continue reading
Wireless Energy-Delivering Crystals Could Unleash Drones’ Capabilities
Crystals with the capacity to transform light directly into mechanical energy without using electricity as an interim stage could unleash a host of advances. For example, drones that run on laser beams could cut back on batteries, or do without them entirely, with the weight savings enabling extra capabilities. Continue reading