UAV LiDAR to inform carbon emission reduction policy making

A specialist team at the University of Wiconscin-Madison (UW-Madison) used the Routescene UAV LiDAR system to detect and visualize forests in Northern Wisconsin, USA as part of the CHEESEHEAD project. The objective of this wider project is to improve weather forecasting by understanding further how vegetation and forests influence the atmosphere.

The aim of the CHEESEHEAD project (The Chequamegon Heterogeneous Ecosystem Energy-balance Study Enabled by a High density Extensive Array of Detectors) is to study interactions and feedbacks between the land surface and atmosphere and how these results can be used to improve weather and climate models. Ultimately the results will enable better carbon emission reduction policy making.

The UW-Madison team collected high density 3D point cloud data of the prominent tree species in the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, USA. This survey was part of a wider project to understand how water, heat and carbon interact across a variety of landscapes like forests. www.routescene.com

Shield AI to acquire Martin UAV

Shield AI, that develops AI and selfdriving car technologies for the defense industry has signed a final agreement to acquire Martin UAV, an aerospace company best known for its industry-leading vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) unmanned aircraft, V-BAT. Shield AI will integrate its combat-proven autonomy software, Hivemind®, into the V-BAT, bolstering Shield AI’s leadership position in defense-focused edge autonomy.

Shield AI’s Hivemind uses cutting edge path-planning, mapping, stateestimation, and computer vision algorithms, along with reinforcement learning and simulations, to train unmanned systems to execute a variety of missions — from infantry clearance operations to breaching integrated air defense systems with unmanned aircraft. The V-BAT, with its innovative, near-zero footprint VTOL and longendurance capabilities, is different from any UAS on the market. www.shield.ai

ACSL, Japan ties up with Arc Ventures, India

Autonomous Control Systems Laboratory (ACSL), Japan is making a move into the Indian market through a partnership with Delhi-based Arc Ventures to establish a joint venture called ACSL India, at an initial investment of $3.5 million.

ACSL develops industrial drones that are used in logistics, infrastructure inspection, disasters etc. It has also developed its own flight controller to manage its drones, which serves as an extra layer of security. The joint venture is planning to build several manufacturing plants in the country, with the first one stated to open in October in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. www.acsl.co.jp

Meituan unveils selfdeveloped drone model

China’s leading e-commerce platform for services, has introduced a new, self-developed drone model and announced plans for a drone logistics network pilot program in Shanghai. The announcement was made at the 2021 World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai, where Meituan demonstrated how drones and delivery riders could conceivably work together to deliver orders.

In a partnership with local government, Meituan will explore opportunities for the construction of a demonstration center in Shanghai’s southwestern district of Jinshan; this center will run pilot operations for an urban low-altitude logistics network, the first of its kind to be established in China. The threepronged network of drones, ground support infrastructure (landing ports, battery changing stations), and cloud-based dispatching systems will aim to achieve 15-minute delivery time for destinations within a three kilometer radius.

Riders would pick up orders from merchants and take them to drone launching pads for last-mile delivery. Drones would then deliver them to special drone drop-off lockers, after which users could scan QR codes to pick up the orders. In June, Meituan also used drones to deliver vital supplies to residents in Shenzhen’s Nanshan district, who were isolated by a COVID-induced quarantine. https://about.meituan.com

Drone delivery test for smart city infrastructure system

Airspace Link will team up with drone delivery services provider DroneUp and the City of Ontario to showcase the digital infrastructure between the New Haven neighborhood, located within the Ontario Ranch development. This digital infrastructure will enable safe, advanced and scalable drone delivery options for a variety of products.

Airspace Link will work in collaboration with DroneUp to enable drone delivery missions for this technology showcase. Drones will deliver ribbon cutting scissors and microbrew beverages to commemorate the ceremonial grand opening of the New Haven Marketplace, various community resources and the highly anticipated Brew Haven brewery. https://airspacelink.com

Upskilling UAV pilots conducting electric grid inspections

PrecisionHawk, Inc. is collaborating with the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) to bring a new wave of UAV instruction to electric co-ops across the United States. The course and skills assessment are designed to increase unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) pilots’ knowledge and confidence to inspect electricity transmission and distribution assets more safely and efficiently.

The program includes approximately 10 hours of flight time in the field where pilots will learn the dos and don’ts of flying, safety tips for navigating hazardous environments and emergency situations, and UAS industry best practices for maintaining equipment and increasing its lifespan. The full skills assessment will ultimately test pilots on skill competencies regarding drone-led energy inspections and how to efficiently run a single pilot operation. precisionhawk.com

Aerodrome acquires FlyTech

Israeli unmanned aerial systems operator Aerodrome Group Ltd. has acquired FlyTech, which specializes in providing advanced aviation services and solutions in the commercial market.

It operates in the commercial field and Aerodrome plans concentrating all its commercial activities in the acquired company. The acquisition will help Aerodrome enter the US commercial market. FlyTech is Aerodrome’s first acquisition. Aerodrome has bought a company that is an operator and thus works mainly in the commercial sector where the rate of growth in Israel and worldwide is increasing significantly. www.aerodrome-ops.com

Drone-based inspection for wildfire mitigation

iHawk by Cyberhawk, is a cloud-based asset visualization software platform, has launched more than 22,000 drone flights to inspect nearly 25,000 electric utility structures in the Western U.S. through the first six months of 2021 as part of utilities critical wildfire prevention and reliability campaigns. Through a proactive approach to inspection, the company’s services have been successfully deployed globally.

The U.S. power grid is one of the oldest in the world, with 70 percent of transmission lines more than 25 years old. Inspecting and maintaining these aging power grids are incredibly important, especially when it comes to mitigating the risk of wildfires. https://thecyberhawk.com