Unmanned Systems Technology - August/September 2019
- Intro - Producing unmanned systems capable of taking on a widening range of applications heralds a new set of engineering issues
- Platform one: Mission-critical info - Machine learning crops up in vegetable-picking robot, data
routing algorithm aims to keep UAV swarms in the air for longer, hydrogen fuel cell for larger UAVs unveiled, object tracking
system gives images unique IDs, and much more
- In conversation: Nick Colosimo - What’s on the horizon for UAVs? We get some thoughts on that from this futurist at BAE Systems
- Dossier: Hummingbird XRP - The design ethos behind this multi-copter is for it to be the UAV equivalent of a general-purpose pick-up truck. This is the story behind its development
- Focus: Gimbals - Growing demand for intelligent object recognition is bringing advances in gimbal systems to the fore. We explain how new technologies are promoting those advances
- Insight: UAVs - UAV manufacturers are trialling new capabilities using emerging technologies to enhance the safety and endurance, and reduce the operator burden, of their craft
- Show report: AUVSI Xponential 2019 - The second of our two-part report from the world’s pre-eminent exhibition for unmanned technologies
- Dossier: O’Neill Power Systems NorEaster - Details of this cam-based radial engine with counter-rotating propellers, which has been designed to solve the complexity and maintenance issues of traditional helicopter transmission systems
- In operation: Kratos Defense ATMA - We look at how this autonomous impact protection vehicle provides a safe working environment for road repair and maintenance crews
- Focus: Performance monitoring - Autonomy is exerting a growing influence over how the performance of unmanned systems is monitored. That is changing system architectures in ways that developers need to be aware of and understand
- Digest: Kongsberg Maritime Sounder - We report on how this all-new USV has been designed to provide long-endurance hydrographic surveys
- PS: Robots from found objects - Robots built from tree branches and using reinforcement learning
to teach them to walk? The idea could have legs