Two Chinese delivery and logistics companies, China Post and Deppon Express, have announced that in April, they will begin making commercial deliveries using self-driving trucks, with the first trucks being put into daily commercial use in China.
The trucks will be equipped with autonomous driving technologies developed by FABU Technology, which is an artificial intelligence (AI) company focused on intelligent driving systems.
IHP
IHP
Pittsburgh Mayor announces 'Pittsburgh Principles' for autonomous vehicles
On Monday, March 4, Pittsburgh Mayor William Peduto issued an executive order that outlines city objectives and expectations for the safe testing of autonomous vehicles in Pittsburgh.
Known as the “Pittsburgh Principles,” the order also assigns responsibilities for the development of transparent and constructive reporting guidelines for the growing technology sector.
“Autonomous vehicle technology has the potential to dramatically improve safety on our city streets and yield transformative benefits to equitable access and quality of life for all in our city. This can only happen when industry, agencies and people understand one another and work together,” says Mayor Peduto.
FedEx unveils its autonomous delivery robot; plans to test it this summer
On Wednesday, Feb. 27, FedEx Corp. unveiled its FedEx SameDay Bot, which is an autonomous delivery robot designed to help retailers make same-day and last-mile deliveries to their customers.
According to FedEx, retailers will be able to accept orders from nearby customers and deliver them directly to customers’ homes or businesses the same day using the robot.
FedEx notes that on average, more than 60 percent of merchants’ customers live within three miles of a store location, which shows the potential for on-demand, hyper-local delivery. With this in mind, FedEx has also announced that it is partnering with several companies including AutoZone, Pizza Hut, and Target to help assess retailers’ autonomous delivery needs.
Embry-Riddle's Minion ASV impresses during Maritime Robot X Challenge
Students at Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University recently debuted their Minion autonomous surface vessel during the Maritime Robot X Challenge in December 2018.
Built by engineering student members of the Robotics Association at Embry–Riddle, the 16-foot long boat navigated an open water obstacle course, adapted to the waves and wind on the bay, and launched and recovered a small submarine before returning to dock.
According to Embry-Riddle, the Minion was created to compete in the Maritime Robot X Challenge, which is a weeklong biennial international competition co-sponsored by the Office of Naval Research (ONR), RoboNation, and a Hawaii-based company called NAVATEK that designs ships and other amphibious vehicles.
California's Fremont Police locate missing teen using UAS
California’s Fremont Police department recently used a UAS to locate a missing teen.
After being reported missing, the teen’s location was narrowed down with help from the juvenile’s friends. Shortly afterwards, a Fremont Police UAS operator launched a UAS while other officers began searching railroad tracks on foot.
After being guided to the location, the UAS—equipped with a FLIR camera—located a heat spot. Information was being shared to the officers on foot, while the missing juvenile’s friends, also on foot, approached their friend who was hiding in bushes.
University of Connecticut engineering students work to build firefighting UAS
With help from mentors from Sikorsky, three University of Connecticut (UConn) engineering seniors are working to build and program an autonomous firefighting UAS to battle fires without a pilot’s guidance.
Once the UAS is complete, it will be equipped with a thermal imaging camera to identify a fire, object avoidance technology to steer clear of any obstacles, and a softball-sized fire-extinguishing ball that will be dropped over the flames.
The students will develop coding language that will tie the drone’s technology together, and it will operate based on inputted coordinates.
Arizona State University creates new master's degree program in robotics and autonomous systems
Arizona State University’s Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering has created a new master’s degree program in robotics and autonomous systems.
The program is designed to train the next generation of robotics researchers with multidisciplinary knowledge in a variety of advanced topics, including but not limited to, artificial intelligence, computer science and machine learning.
“In the future, we’re going to be interacting with intelligent machines a lot in our everyday lives,” says Panagiotis Artemiadis, the robotics and autonomous systems graduate program chair and an associate professor of aerospace and mechanical engineering.
In-Flight Data awarded three Guinness World Records for recent BVLOS UAS flights
In-Flight Data has been awarded three Guinness World Records for UAS flights it recently conducted as part of a beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) project in collaboration with senseFly.
Through the project, In-Flight Data conducted the longest cumulative BVLOS battery-powered UAS flight, covering 2,723.04 kilometers; the longest cumulative urban flight for a BVLOS civilian UAS (small class – up to 25 kilograms), covering 414 kilometers; and the longest single urban flight for a BVLOS civilian UAS (small class – up to 25 kilograms), covering 40 kilometers.
Elroy Air optimistic that its autonomous VTOL air cargo system will unlock the logistics potential of the sky
A company called Elroy Air that is developing an autonomous vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) air cargo system has closed a $9.2 million seed round of funding, according to VentureBeat.
The company says that it is developing its autonomous VTOL air cargo system for three primary reasons. First, it believes “access to express shipping improves quality of life and economic opportunities for people, and should be available to everyone.”
Second, it believes that “now is the moment in history when autonomous VTOL aircraft can be developed to expand the reach of air cargo at scale.”
Embry-Riddle acquires Penguin C UAS for flight training
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University has announced that it recently became the only university to acquire the Penguin C UAS specifically for flight training.
Described as one of the most sophisticated long-endurance, long-range professional UAS on the market today, the Penguin C aircraft “instantly transformed Embry-Riddle” upon their arrival on campus earlier this year, the university says.
