Unmanned Systems Technology 037 April/May 2021

• Intro - The anticipated maiden flight of the Ingenuity helicopter over the surface of Mars highlights the challenge of battery energy density
• Platform one: Mission-critical info - Custom hardware for fault-tolerant software, USV project to gather offshore wind farm data, Hyundai unveils first space exploration UGV, new valves make hydrogen tank transport safe, and more
• In conversation: Dr Arnaud Coville - Volocopter’s CTO explains why he joined the company and how he has come to lead the development of its urban air taxis
• Dossier: Einride next-gen Pod - SAE Level 4 autonomy and cooperative sensing will allow this delivery truck to transform logistics, its developers say
• Focus: Battery technology - We look at the cell technology options for addressing the trade-offs in battery design for unmanned systems
• Digest: Dive Technologies AUV-Kit - How this proven set of subsystems, plus additive manufacturing, allow the company to build AUVs of different sizes within weeks
• Insight: UGVs - Ground vehicles are earning their safety credentials during the pandemic by taking on tasks normally performed by people
• Dossier: Vanguard EFI/ETC vee twins - Originally deployed as general-purpose utility engines, these Small Block and Big Block four-strokes are now appearing in unmanned systems. Here’s the story of their development
• In operation: Icarus Swarms - UAV swarming operations don’t necessarily need fixed comms with a GCS – this company does it by embedding algorithms in each craft to allow it to react to obstacles or a subsystem failure
• Focus: Transponders - Emerging standards will allow UAV transponder technology to be certified for certain operations and airspaces. That is bringing with it advances in their capabilities, as we explain
• Digest: EvoLogics Sonobot 5 - The fifth version of this hydrographic survey USV represents a complete external and internal design rethink over its predecessors. We report on what it offers now
• Report: IDEX 2021 - Implementing Covid safety measures enabled this show to buck the current trend toward virtual exhibitions. Here are our highlights of the components and unmanned systems that were on display
• PS: The Eelume snakebot - Unlike other snakebots, this one is fitted with thrusters that allow it travel further under water for oil & gas infrastructure inspections