Global engineering expert and infrared imaging technologies supplier Attollo Engineering has introduced the Phoenix, which is a 640 x 512 shortwave infrared (SWIR) camera with the industry’s smallest VGA sensor and an extremely small 5 µm pixel pitch.
Described as “revolutionary,” the cost-efficient and miniature sensor is ideally suited for broadband imaging, as well as daylight and nighttime laser see-spot and range-gated imaging.
Agriculture
Agriculture
XAG uses drones to help restore Australia from wildfire devastation
Agricultural drone manufacturer XAG has announced that it has joined the first-ever post-fire drone seeding operation on Lake Cobrico, a swamp wildlife reserve located near Warrnambool in Southwest Victoria, Australia.
A collective effort to restore Australia from wildfire devastation, the project, which was funded by Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) and managed by Heytesbury District Landcare Network (HDLN), marks the first time that agricultural drones are being used to re-establish native vegetation within a fire-ravaged peat swamp in Australia.
Olds College to deploy fully autonomous DOT Power Platform on its Smart Farm
Olds College in Olds, Alberta, Canada has announced that it will be the only post-secondary institution in the world to deploy the fully autonomous DOT Power Platform as a teaching and research tool on the College’s Smart Farm.
Weekend Roundup: April 24, 2020
This Week in the Unmanned Systems and Robotics World
The University of North Florida College of Computing, Engineering and Construction has been awarded a grant to research the use of autonomous robotics for agriculture in Northeast Florida. The research grant will focus on using a multi-robot system to securely and efficiently collect agricultural information. (University of North Florida)
Draganfly to distribute AeroVironment's Quantix Mapper UAS to commercial markets globally
Draganfly will distribute AeroVironment’s Quantix Mapper drones to commercial markets across the world after the two companies announced a teaming agreement on Tuesday, March 17.
Described as a “simple to use” drone that empowers users through its fully-automated operation and instant insight, Quantix Mapper features a hybrid design that allows the aircraft to launch vertically and transition to horizontal flight, which maximizes aerodynamic efficiency and range.
High resolution imagery can be viewed immediately by users on the included Operating Tablet without the need for other devices, internet or additional software. Users can quickly and safely generate up-to-date maps for infield assessment with just the touch of a button.
Raven Industries to showcase autonomous agriculture tech during DOT demo days
During DOT demo days this spring in Maricopa, Arizona, Raven Industries Inc., as majority owner of Dot Technology Corp. (DOT), will showcase the latest advancements in autonomous agriculture.
The Dot Power Platform (Dot) is powered by Raven’s suite of machine control technology, which includes the RS1 for steering and guidance, Slingshot for remote support and connectivity, and Raven’s object detection and avoidance technology. With its ability to complete tasks autonomously, Dot allows framers to spend more time focusing on the overall operation of their farms.
Raven and DOT are preparing for the commercialization of this technology this spring.
From Unmanned Systems Magazine: Drones, software provide farmers with extra tools to manage complex data
Precision agriculture using drones has become much less about the novelty of having an eye in the sky and much more about fusing data from a variety of sources and platforms — including drones, satellites, ground sensors and others — to enable farmers to make informed decisions.
One company that has become a major player within the farming industry is Toulouse, France-based Delair, which provides visual data management technologies. The company’s cloud-based platform, the Delair.ai platform, allows users to manage, process, view, analyze and collaborate around aerial data.
NCDOT using UAS to fight invasive plants
The North Carolina Department of Transportation's (NCDOT) Division of Aviation and its Environmental Analysis Unit are using UAS to fight invasive plants.
As part of its environmental mitigation for the construction of the new Basnight Bridge over Oregon Inlet, NCDOT is responsible for battling an invasive plant called Phragmites that has overrun the area around Bodie Island Lighthouse.
In search for an alternative to using traditional airplane- or helicopter-based herbicide spraying, the NCDOT Environmental Analysis Unit went to the Division of Aviation to explore the use of UAS for these operations.
