A solar-powered quadcopter, a drone assisting in the study of whales, using drones to fight cocaine, capturing intruder drones, improving crop yields with a drone service, and a quadcopter with legs.
This prototype solar-powered quadcopter was developed by the engineering students at the National University of Singapore. It uses 148 silicon solar cells on a four square meter carbon fiber frame. The prototype weighs and can be controlled by remote or fly autonomously.
Video: 100% solar-powered quadcopter drone
Oregon State University’s Marine Mammal Institute is studying whale feces because analysis allows them “to document the reproductive and stress hormone variation of gray whales.” When a gray whale defecates, the result is a brown plume in the water. It dissipates fast and there isn’t much time to collect a sample. The researchers are using drones to follow the whale while they watch for the plume. A small chase boat then arrives to collect the sample.
Video: Gray whale defecation event
The Colombian government is testing ten drones that spray herbicide to kill crops. Loaded, the drones weigh about 50 pounds. The herbicide application is more precise than spraying from an airplane and less expensive.
Fortem Technologies is developing the DroneHunter that captures intruder drones. In an NBC video report on this Counter Unmanned Aircraft System (C-UAS), Fortem CEO Timothy Bean said the DroneHunter, “patrols the airspace, detects any unwanted objects in the airspace, enemy drones or other robotics, pursues them, and then safely captures them and tows them away to a safe location.” DroneHunter autonomously detects intruder drones, shoots a net at 80 MPH to a target drone up to 25 feet away, captures the enemy drone and carries it away.
Company promotional video (see the NBC report for the DroneHunter in action):
Pollen Systems Corporation in Bellevue, Washington announced a...
