On Feb. 9, 2019, the University of South Florida (USF) will host the 2019 USF Brain-Drone Race, which will feature teams from around the world racing drones using brain-power.
The event, which is free and open to the public, is being organized by USF Assistant Professor Marvin Andujar, PhD, Department of Computer Science and Engineering in the College of Engineering.
Andujar, who led the University of Florida group that first started the competition in 2016, says that the 2019 event will be the world’s first international competition of brain-drone racers, as teams from the United Kingdom, Japan, and Brazil compete against teams from across the U.S., as well as several teams from USF.
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RelmaTech's Direct Broadcast platform allows UAS to broadcast their position and unique ID
RelmaTech has introduced its Direct Broadcast platform, which the company says meets any future regulatory requirements for UAS to broadcast their position and unique ID, without relying on a communications network to carry that data.
Using WiFi-based technology, the Direct Broadcast platform creates a unique beacon on the UAS. Described as light-weight and low cost, Direct Broadcast is based on “proven, stable and robust technology with high volume availability,” RelmaTech says.
RelmaTech also points out that a prototype version of the Direct Broadcast platform has been demonstrated to key individuals within the FAA UAS Integration Office and NASA UTM Research and Development Program.
Army's Mason working to fulfill PEO Aviation's strategic plan
Patrick H. Mason, a member of the Senior Executive Service, and the relatively new deputy program executive officer for the U.S. Army’s PEO Aviation, has a challenging duty — helping bring the Army PEO Aviation’s 2018 Strategic Plan to life, which includes delivering capabilities to warfighters faster, streamlining the acquisition process and building a better workforce.
Mason assumed the Huntsville, Alabama-based role in May 2017. He was the commander of the Redstone Technical Test Center and most recently as the chief of staff for the Aviation Development Directorate of the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Research, Development and Engineering Center.
CustomWeather and TruWeather Solutions partner to produce 'unique, high resolution' forecasts to support UAS
A provider of high-resolution weather data and alert services called CustomWeather Inc. has partnered with TruWeather Solutions LLC to produce “unique, high resolution” forecasts to support UAS.
The companies will offer UAS operators that need high resolution data TruWeather Solutions’ proprietary model that includes terrain-capturing resolutions at 1,000 meters. The model is complemented by CustomWeather’s own proprietary CW100 model to “provide solutions at even more granular 100 meter resolution,” the companies say.
AUVSI launches Trusted Operator Program to help UAS operators demonstrate their skill, safety commitment
AUVSI has now given unmanned aircraft systems operators a way to increase their safety and boost their standing in the marketplace through today’s launch of the new Trusted Operator Program, or TOP.
Interest in becoming a commercial drone operator has been growing, but so far, from a regulatory perspective, there has been little available to allow an operator to stand out from the crowd and demonstrate competency or proficiency. While numerous training courses exist, there has been no industry unification for competency training or testing.
Textron prepares for Navy deployment, boosts COCO work
A new task order from the U.S. Naval Air Command (NAVAIR) will include putting the newest generation of Textron Systems’ Aerosonde unmanned aircraft on a Navy ship for up to 32 months, and increasing the percentage of Textron’s contractor owned, contractor operated (COCO) work with the U.S. military.
Textron Systems introduced the latest version of the venerable Aerosonde UAS last year and will be prepping it to serve on the USNS Hershel “Woody” Williams, an expeditionary sea base (ESB) ship aimed at supporting a variety of missions, next year, says David Phillips, senior vice president and general manager of Textron Systems.
Textron Systems plans to acquire robotics developer Howe & Howe Technologies
Textron Systems is positioning itself as a global leader in autonomy across the air, land and sea domains, after entering into a letter of intent to purchase Howe & Howe Technologies Inc., a developer of advanced robotic land vehicles.
Built and proven for the most extreme conditions in the world, Howe & Howe’s vehicles have earned the trust of customers in the U.S, as U.S. government customers have selected Howe & Howe’s small, highly mobile Ripsaw Super Tank for its speed, mobility and off-road performance, while Howe & Howe’s RS2-H1 SMET was down-selected to compete to be the U.S. Army’s first platoon load-carrying robot, after completing a 60-mile test through swamp and jungle terrains.
