DroneMasters Briefing #181
Uncrewed drones have become indispensable helpers in many areas, taking on important roles in industrial processes, surveying, security services and fighting forest fires. But the market for delivering everyday goods is also slowly but surely being tapped. Wing's current activities in the USA, Europe and Australia are impressive proof of this. Meanwhile, the use of vertical mobility for passenger transport is still in its infancy.
Advanced Air Mobility is in an exciting phase, where not only technical developments are advancing rapidly, but also the social and regulatory framework for the mobility of the future is being shaped. We will take a closer look at these aspects at the 69th DroneMasters Meetup next Wednesday and have put together a special program with four experts from the field of Advanced Air Mobility:
Next week, parents in the Munich area will also have the opportunity to give their children a unique insight into the world of drones. In the four-day holiday course of the DroneMasters Academy, the kids will not only learn how to safely handle drones, but also get valuable insights into future occupational fields and learn a lot about the technical background of the flying robots.
Now enjoy the rest of the news from vertical mobility.
Economy
Partnership. Walmart has teamed up with Google's sister company, Wing, to broaden drone delivery services in Dallas, providing 60,000 more homes with the service. With Wing's capabilities and Walmart's existing 11 drone hubs in Dallas, this partnership strengthens Dallas's position as the epicenter of cargo drone delivery innovation in the U.S., and poses a challenge for competitors like Amazon.
Partnership. Wing is also working with UK drone startup Apian to begin delivering medicines in parts of South Dublin and later expand to the UK. This service will deliver medicines, lab samples and medical supplies and represents a significant expansion of Wing's European operations.
Partnership. Terra Drone has increased its stake in Unifly to 51 %, solidifying its commitment to Unifly's long-term vision, an endeavor that began with their initial investment in 2016. Unifly, which operates UTM systems in over 8 countries, complies with Europe's U-space regulation, and is involved in various R&D initiatives globally, including the NEOM mega-city.
Expansion. Joby Aviation is deciding between Ohio and North Carolina for its new 580,000-square-foot aircraft manufacturing facility, according to sources. While Ohio has offered a USD 110 million incentive package and holds established ties with Joby, North Carolina is a hub for major manufacturing initiatives and recently attracted other advanced aviation companies.
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Team. Gary Gysin, former CEO of Wisk Aero, has joined the board of Airspeeder. Airspeeder, which held its first competition last year, is planning to launch crewed electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) races by 2024.
Background
Research & Development. An AI system called Swift, developed by the University of Zurich, has beaten top human pilots in drone races, winning 15 out of 25 races. The AI system uses artificial neural networks and relies on camera and inertial data to make split-second decisions and control the drone.
Research & Development. Researchers at the University of Tokyo have developed a system, named TRADY, that allows individual drones to connect and combine their power to perform tasks with greater strength without compromising their mobility in tight spaces. When two drones were tested using this system, their combined power increased the torque of a single drone by nine times, demonstrating the potential for significant improvements in drone capability for various applications.
Research & Development. NASA's new flight campaign at Armstrong Flight Research Center seeks to understand wind patterns below 2,000 feet to enhance air taxi safety using drones, sensors, and weather balloons. The research involves collecting data on wind and weather to ensure the safe operation of Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) vertiports and to validate and refine new modeling techniques.
Environment. Wilderness International uses drones to protect and monitor more than 4.5 million square metres of endangered rainforest. The organisation provides targeted aerial imagery of protected areas, while also using high-tech sensors combined with AI to identify and prioritise biodiverse forest areas for conservation.
Education. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University has been selected by the U.S. Department of State to develop a training curriculum for small Uncrewed Aerial Systems (sUAS) operators. The university aims to design a standardized training program that could be adopted by government and law enforcement agencies globally.
Test. Rotor X Aircraft has completed numerous uncrewed tests for its DRAGON eVTOL Personal Air Vehicle, an electric ultralight aircraft, with piloted tests set for September 2023 and production slated for March 2024. The DRAGON eVTOL PAV, which doesn't require a pilot's license in the U.S., can carry a 250 lb pilot, fly for 20 minutes at speeds up to 63 mph.
Crazy!
Wedding flight. A 30-year-old man from England has proposed to his girlfriend using a special drone show that projected the text "Marry me Megan" into the sky during a show at Newby Hall, Ripon. The company DroneSwarm, which offered the show, claims that this is the first marriage proposal in the United Kingdom made in this way.
Further news, links to all sources and references to upcoming events are part of the DroneMasters Briefing via Email. Register here.