Counter-drone systems typically attack a UAV’s radio control or GPS systems, disabling pilot control as well as pre-programmed missions. But British defense tech company QinetiQ has now demonstrated a laser-controlled drone these systems can’t stop.
BEC was kind enough to share a parts list of everything used to create this project. It’s operated primarily by a Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W, with most components housed neatly inside an acrylic cylinder. It’s driven by a drone propeller alongside a couple of Pololu 2,130 DRV8833 Dual H-bridge motor drivers. The sensors include both a pressure sensor and a distance sensor, while a Lego Rechargeable 9V Battery Box supplies the power with the assistance of a Pololu 2,123 S7V8F5 5V voltage regulator.
The Raspberry Pi runs Raspberry Pi OS, while the code used to operate the submarine functions is handled using a custom Python script. BEC explains that Thonny was used to run the Python code, which is open-source and available for anyone to explore.
Continue reading “Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W Lego-Powered Submarine Makes a Splash” »
Designed for precision agriculture and environmental management use cases, the P4 Multispectral drone combines data from six separate sensors to measure the health of crops. It can be used to monitor everything from individual plants to entire fields, as well as weeds, insects, and a variety of soil conditions.
The P4 Multispectral drone is compatible with standard industry workflows including flight programming, mapping, and analytics software from DJI and other leading providers. Using the DJI GS Pro application, you can create automated and repeatable missions including flight planning, mission execution, and flight data management. Data collected can be easily imported into DJI Terra or a suite of third-party software including Pix4D Mapper and DroneDeploy, for analysis and to generate additional vegetation index maps.
Continue reading “DJI releases new firmware update for Phantom 4 Multispectral drone” »
The high-flying unmanned aerial vehicle has been above Arizona for more than a month, living on batteries, solar power and a prayer.
When communication lines are open, individual agents such as robots or drones can work together to collaborate and complete a task. But what if they aren’t equipped with the right hardware or the signals are blocked, making communication impossible? University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign researchers started with this more difficult challenge. They developed a method to train multiple agents to work together using multi-agent reinforcement learning, a type of artificial intelligence.
“It’s easier when agents can talk to each other,” said Huy Tran, an aerospace engineer at Illinois. “But we wanted to do this in a way that’s decentralized, meaning that they don’t talk to each other. We also focused on situations where it’s not obvious what the different roles or jobs for the agents should be.”
Continue reading “Using artificial intelligence to train teams of robots to work together” »
How do you teach an autonomous drone to fly itself? Practice, practice, practice. Now Microsoft is offering a way to put a drone’s control software through its paces millions of times before the first takeoff.
The cloud-based simulation platform, Project AirSim, is being made available in limited preview starting today, in conjunction with this week’s Farnborough International Airshow in Britain.
Continue reading “Microsoft’s Project AirSim is pushing drone simulation software to new heights” »
This new AI-powered drone can resist strong winds and continue its flight thanks to a deep-learning technique created by Caltech engineers.
A new report says that Microsoft is moving to a three-year cadence for new versions of Windows, which would schedule Windows 12 to release on 2024 and set the stage for new Windows 11 features to release multiple times per year.
The amphibious assault ship USS Essex can print parts on demand, reducing the need for inventory.
One of the U.S. Navy’s largest warships is now rocking a 3D printer, allowing the crew to quickly crank out replacement parts for drones. The service hopes that additive manufacturing technology will allow it to save time and money, reducing the need to stock spare parts on hand, especially when a ship is at sea. It believes that 3D printers could someday become standard issue on every warship.
Continue reading “The Navy is Using 3D Printers to Turn Warships Into Weapons Factories” »
