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FLIR Systems announces plans to acquire Endeavor Robotics
Just a few weeks after announcing its acquisition of Aeryon Labs Inc., FLIR Systems Inc. has announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Endeavor Robotic Holdings Inc. (Endeavor Robotics) from Arlington Capital Partners for $385 million in cash.
Known for developing UGVs for the global military, public safety, and critical infrastructure markets, Endeavor’s robots use advanced sensing and actuation to provide explosive ordnance disposal, reconnaissance, inspection, and hazardous materials support for troops, police, and industrial users at stand-off range.
Planck Aero's Shearwater small UAS autonomously takes off and lands onto moving ground vehicle
Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Miramar, Air Traffic Control (ATC) recently gave Planck Aerosystems (Planck Aero) permission to test its Shearwater small UAS in controlled airspace and at night.
During testing, the Shearwater small UAS routinely conducted successful autonomous takeoffs and precision landings onto a moving, off-road ground vehicle with centimeter-level accuracy in complete darkness. The UAS performed these tasks without GPS or a pilot in the loop.
According to Planck Aero, the ability to perform nighttime operations from moving vehicles represents a “major step” forward in demonstrating the maturity of the company's vision-based navigation technology.
Autonomous tech moves up, down and underwater at CES 2019
Drones and self-driving cars continue to be all the rage at CES, the former Consumer Electronics Show, but autonomous technology is also making its way into things such as motorcycles with self-driving capabilities, flying cars and even underwater drones.
BMW made a splash at the show with its iNEXT vehicle, which aims to answer the question about what a vehicle interior can look like when the car no longer has to be driven by a human.
“The interior can be a place for relaxation, interaction, entertainment, or concentration, as preferred,” the company says. “It is more like a comfortable and fashionably furnished “living space” on wheels — a new ‘favorite space.’”
World of Concrete: Putting Unmanned Systems to Work on the Job Site
Unmanned systems including drones, automated trucks and teleoperated machinery are increasingly being used at job sites in the United States and around the world. From site surveys to hauling materials, the technologies are hard at work increasing efficiency, improving safety and saving companies money.
This technological revolution is being driven by data. Drones provide a tremendous amount of information that is proving invaluable for construction companies. Supporting software capabilities allow project managers to process and analyze the data creating 3-D models and maps that provide a new way to visualize projects. Access to this information improves communication on the jobsite, translating to thousands of dollars saved.
