The Manned Ping&nbsp; The clear-cut solution for unmanned aircraft vehicles—and other aircraft operating in the same air space—has always been through the use of an ADS-B receiver. Used on large aircraft, the ADS-B allows the user to sense where it is relative to other aircraft, as well as transmit its own location coordinates to other aircraft. ADS-B receivers are typically too large to place on a sUAV, however.&nbsp;Through its agreement with UAvionix, Trace Intelligent Solutions will soon offer its multi rotor UAVs with a scaled-down ADS-B suitable for sUAV’s. Draganfly, a subsidariy of Trace purchased by the company in 2015, will use the Ping ADS-B. The Ping weighs only 6 grams and can detect commercial aircraft on 1090MHz within a 100-mile radius in real time. The system also transmits its position, heading and altitude to other Ping-enabled drones without relying on a connection to the Internet or cellular networks.Trace has also tapped into the best of the security camera market. Through an agreement with ImmerVision, Draganflyer will also add an amplified, wide-angle 360 degree camera to its UAV. The lens will reduce the time required for aerial scans because of its wide field of view. The camera is currently used in several other image-dependent industries, including defense, security, robotics, communications and automotive.&nbsp;Inspired By Insects&nbsp; Inspired by the abilities of insects, Flyability UAS has created a platform capable of surviving collisions. Based in Switzerland, the team first began the design of its system after monitoring the ability of insects to tolerate collisions and continue flying after impact with an undetected object. The research efforts helped the team arrive at a UAV platform design that relies on an outer shroud shield. Due to the outer grid protecting the vital power, sensor and flight components, Flyability’s UAVs can fly in tight spaces and harsh environments.&nbsp;The unique UAV linked to the properties of an insect is being used for industrial inspections inside power plants or tanks too dangerous for humans. The system has also been deployed to inspect glacier cravasses.“We were, unfortunately, at a too-early stage of development during the earthquakes in Nepal, but our product is now robust enough to be deployed in a situation where it can add value to rescue teams,” said Patrick Thevoz, founder and CEO.&nbsp;Soaring Birds&nbsp; Algorithms designed to find rising air thermal pockets are helping fixed-wing unmanned aircraft vehicles soar like birds. A collaborative research effort between the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory and Pennsylvania State University’s Air Vehicle Intelligence and Autonomy Lab is helping unmanned aircraft vehicle operators conduct 2.5-mile flights despite carrying a battery with only enough power to sustain four minutes of motor time.&nbsp;During a two-week trial period last year, a team of researchers performed 23 flights in restricted airspace at Phillips Army Airfield. The flights were conducted using fixed-wing sailplanes at altitudes of roughly 3,300 feet. The average duration for each flight was approximately five hours, according to NRL.&nbsp;To maximize flight time with a limited power source, the NRL’s UAV was outfitted with NRL’s automonous soaring algorithm it calls Automonous Locator of Thermals “ALOFT.” PSU’s UAV was equipped with a different algorithm called AutoSOAR, also developed by NRL.&nbsp;Dan Edwards, solar-soaring program aerospace engineer and principal investigator from NRL, said the autonomous soaring algorithms search for naturally occurring areas of rising air or thermals. During the testing procedures, researchers used information from each UAV to acquire a more accurate assessment of the local atmospheric conditions. Based on the atmospheric data acquired from both UAVs, a map was integrated into the autonomous flight plans of each to guide them towards strong lift activity conditions. The technique is similar, Edwards says, to that used by a flock of birds.&nbsp;Each UAV recorded multi-hour flights with minimal power usage due to the soaring strategy. NRL’s UAV recorded a 5.3 hour flight that only required the motor-driven propeller to run for 27 minutes.&nbsp;In the future, the researchers intend to assess ways to reduce the separation distance between the two aircraft so that each can soar in the same thermal altitude. Solar power sources could also be considered to power the UAVs.&nbsp;

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These UAVs have been upgraded or redesigned with unique technology, like soaring birds, insects or manned aviation staples.

UAS NEWS | Technology Connection

UAS NEWS | Technology Connection

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