Weekend Roundup: Fireworks Edition
Photo: Audi.
This week in the unmanned systems and robotics world, the AUVSI Unmanned Systems news blog staff takes a departure from traditional coverage to show you the many pyrotechnic applications of unmanned systems this week in advance of this weekends’ firework displays. From shooting down drones with guns and F-16s to giant robots that can shoot paintballs, it was an explosive week in the robotics industry.
Although these may be exciting, drone users have an important responsibility to follow the rules of the air and fly safely. The FAA has reminded us this July 4 that Washington D.C. (and 15 miles in every direction) is a “No Drone Zone.” (NBC)
The FAA also approved 50 more commercial drone exemptions this week, bringing the total to 714 approvals out of over 1900 requests.
The Department of the Interior and the National Fire Service, this week, has urged citizens to keep their unmanned aircraft away from wildfires. Temporary flight restrictions are placed over these fire operations for the safety of ground and aerial support crews, meaning unauthorized flights are in violation of the law. (Los Angeles Times)
The Royal Danish Air Force held an exercise where an F-16 shot down a Banshee 600 UAS. (CNet)
A U.S. team of engineers has challenged a Japanese team to create a robot to battle its massive robot in a paintball duel. (Popular Science)
A Modesto, California, man has been fined $850 for shooting down a drone that was flying over his home last year. The UAS cost $1,800 and sustained about $700 in damage. (Los Angeles Times)
In the next few months, Israel will complete a kamikaze small unmanned aircraft called the K1 that is designed for strikes on light vehicles or terrorist cells. (Ynet)
Car maker Audi is developing a rover as a part of the Lunar XPrize competition. The robot could set down on the moon’s surface in 2017. (Gizmag)
Softbank’s emotional robot, Pepper, officiated the first robot weekend last weekend in Toyko. (The Telegraph)
NASA is building a prototype for its Preliminary Research Aerodynamic Design to Land on Mars (Prandtl-m), which is set for flight later this year from a balloon to study high-altitude radiation. (Engadget)
Toshiba is developing a scorpion-like robot that will help in the ongoing efforts to clean up the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant. (Computerworld)
Microsoft is selling its maps to Uber to help its technology lab create a driverless version of the transportation service. (Daily Mail)
A 22-year-old man was crushed to death by a factory robot at a Volkswagen facility in Germany. A spokesperson for the company told the Associated Press the incident may have been caused by human error. (Time)
The head of research and development for Jaguar Land Rover says that the company will never make driverless cars. (CNet)
And for some less destructive fireworks, Auburn, Maine Fire Cheif Frank Roma used his DJI Phantom 3 quadrotor drone to assist in a river rescue after two boys got stuck in the rapids. (WMTW)
