SUAVE clinches Smart City award

The Singapore Land Authority (SLA) is proud to announce that the Smart Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Enhanced (SUAVE) project has been chosen by IDC (International Data Corporation) Government Insights as the best Asia Pacific Smart City project under the “Urban Planning and Land Use” category of IDC’s 2020 Smart City Asia Pacific Awards (SCAPA).

SUAVE is a machine learning algorithm that analyses images captured by drones to automatically identify building defects requiring maintenance. Together with the “SmartLAMD” app that was developed by SLA, SUAVE helps to maintain and improve building conditions through the early identification of potential maintenance issues, from cracks and debris to water ponding and even plant growth, thus enabling the speedy handling of these minor issues.

At the same time, SUAVE provides tremendous time and cost savings. Officers now use only 12.5% of the original conventional inspection time to review and address potential maintenance issues. Aside from saving time, SUAVE has also significantly reduced inspection and repair costs. Deploying drones for building inspection only uses 60% of the cost required for a conventional physical inspection that uses boom lifts. www.sla.gov.sg

Phase One Industrial and Acecore partnership

Phase One Industrial has signed an agreement with Acecore Technologies.

Phase One Industrial developed the iXM series cameras for UAV-based aerial imagery. The iXM 100MP and iXM 50MP are high-productivity metric cameras with a range of specially designed RSM lenses. The iXM cameras are ready for easy integration with a wide range of UAV platforms.

Under the new agreement, Acecore will support Phase One Industrial’s iXM range of cameras in the UAV market for high-accuracy mapping and inspection. Acecore will be using the iXM camera in three drone models: ZOE, NEO and NOA, offering fast and efficient, simple, and reliable UAV solutions. www.acecoretechnologies.com

Department 13 successfully deploys MESMER C-sUAS platform

In July of 2020, Department 13 successfully completed onsite field testing and training to officially deliver the latest deployment of its counter drone technology MESMER to the Indian government. Its Indian based distributor, Shastra Corporation, successfully tendered to supply the Indian government with Department 13’s C-sUAS platform MESMER and provided rigorous infield testing and compliance to exceed approval requirements from industry and government regulators. https://department13.com

L3Harris Technologies awarded contract from US Navy

L3Harris Technologies has received a contract from the U.S. Navy for the Medium Unmanned Surface Vehicle (MUSV) program. This is the Navy’s first program for an unmanned surface vehicle to support the Navy’s Distributed Maritime Operations strategy.

L3Harris will integrate the company’s ASView™ autonomy technology into a purpose-built 195-foot commercially derived vehicle from a facility along the Gulf Coast of Louisiana. The MUSV will provide intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance to the fleet while maneuvering autonomously and complying with international Collision Regulations, even in operational environments. www.l3harris.com

Valqari introduces the Drone Delivery Station

Valqari, the Chicago start-up that solved the last inch logistics problem with its patented universal drone delivery infrastructure, has launched its largest solution to date with the Drone Delivery Station. This new technology offers a safe and convenient landing station with six separate storage units to accommodate multiple drone and traditional deliveries or pickups. The drone delivery station also maintains a digital chain of custody throughout the entire delivery process to give users peace of mind knowing their packages are secure until retrieved. www.valqari.com

Europe’s largest drone hub in Rotterdam

Terra Drone invests in Dutch Drone Solution provider Skytools to offer corporate and government clients with advanced drone solutions. The companies will together establish a strong drone hub in Rotterdam consisting of Training facilities and Research & Development centers.

Terra Drone Corporation is announcing the completion of its investment in Skytools, a leading Dutch company that provides advanced drone solutions to corporate and governmental clients. www.terra-drone.net

FLIR Systems introduces Vue TZ20 dual thermal camera drone payload

The FLIR® Vue® TZ20 is the first high resolution, dual thermal sensor gimbal built for the DJI® Matrice V2 200 Series and Matrice 300 airframes. It gives drone pilots the situational awareness they need to complete their missions.

Featuring both a wide-angle Boson sensor with a 95-degree field of view and a narrow-angle Boson with a 19-degree field of view, the Vue TZ20 enables pilots to put more pixels on target with ease. With 640×512 resolution and a 20-times digital thermal zoom capability, pilots can safely capture thermal data from a distance. The payload is IP44 rated to provide operability in poor weather conditions and weighs just 640 grams (1.4 lbs.). flir.com