Public perception of drones mixed depending on use-cases

Public perception of drones mixed depending on use-cases

Apr 24, 2023 | Drones for good, Education, Industry News, Scott Simmie

By Scott Simmie

 

What does the public think about drones?

That’s a very good question. And the answer has implications for the industry at large.

Is the public ready to embrace drones becoming a more ubiquitous part of everyday life? Are people ready for drones to be flying overhead in urban settings – whether they’re gathering data, delivering critical supplies, or simply dropping off a bagel and latte for the sake of convenience?

As the industry moves ahead to more routine Beyond Visual Line of Sight Flights utilising pre-programmed and autonomous technologies, the answer – or answers – could have a significant impact on the speed of adoption.

Do people want drones buzzing in their neighbourhoods? WING certainly had some pushback when it began trials of convenience deliveries in Australia. And what about concerns over privacy?

There are plenty of questions. And some intriguing answers.

Below: InDro delivers prescriptions to remote Gulf Island communities in a trial using drones for critical deliveries of medications

Public Perception of Drones

CANADIAN RESEARCH

 

Before we dive into the nuts and bolts, some context: We’ll be referring to two scientific papers just published by Canadian-led research teams based out or Carleton University in Ottawa. One of these papers reviews existing research and draws conclusions, while the other involves original data on public perceptions gathered in Canada. Though we’ll dip into both, we’ll focus primarily on the paper called “Public perception of remotely piloted aircraft systems in Canada” – which appears in the May 2023 issue of Technology In society.

That study was authored by Dr. Nick Tepylo, Leilah Debelle, and Jeremy Laliberté. Dr. Tepylo is both a pilot and an aircraft systems engineer who holds a PhD; Professor Jeremy Laliberté leads a 22-person Carleton research group that focusses on the advanced use of drones and Advanced Air Mobility (AAM). Leilah Debelle is a research assistant (Co-op) in the Department of Psychology.

Together, this group carried out the first original research on this topic in Canada since 2014. Back then, there was considerable opposition to drones. As the paper’s abstract points out:

“The last major survey performed in Canada was done in 2014 and found the public was rather opposed to the use of drones and preferred traditionally piloted aircraft in all 38 applications polled. Much has changed over the past eight years as the findings presented herein show the public is supportive of the technology in most applications… Applications of drones that were perceived to further the public interest such as search and rescue, firefighting, and climate research were also viewed more positively. Most drone user groups were viewed favorably except for journalists and corporations.”

Below: A Draganfly drone designed for medical deliveries

 

Canada Drones

WHAT DO CANADIANS THINK?

 

Well, in large part, it depends on what use-cases are involved.

The respondents in the survey (there were 1,022), showed a clear preference for use-cases such as Search and Rescue, disaster response and scientific research. At the bottom of the list? Drone delivery.

We spoke with Jeremy Laliberté about the results; he agreed that people surveyed were more inclined to support what could be termed “positive” use-case scenarios.

“In general, the public is accepting of these technologies, but it varies strongly,” says Laliberté.

“If you look at the Canadian context, who is using the RPAS influences heavily the level of acceptance. So for example, public safety applications, Search and Rescue, things that are for the public good…have very high levels of acceptance. And we found in our literature review, that’s also the case in other countries.”

Intuitively, that makes sense. But what are the applications where the public is less likely to embrace drone use?

“Where the acceptance falls off, interestingly enough, is around delivery – delivery of just regular goods and services…packages, parcels, things like that. As well as journalism – using drones to monitor the public in any way or for news gathering – those get lower levels of acceptance,” he says.

You can see the varying levels of acceptance, pending use-cases, in the graphic below from the research paper. About 87 per cent of respondents strongly or somewhat support use-cases like Search and Rescue, firefighting and disaster response. Only 1.6 per cent of respondents oppose the use of drones in these scenarios.

“At the other end of the spectrum, package delivery had the lowest level of support with 44.9% in favor, 25.7% opposed, and 29.4% neither supporting nor opposing this mission type,” states the paper.

“Newsgathering and surveillance missions received just shy of 60 per cent support, while all other missions received at least 75% support. Additionally, only three missions (newsgathering, surveillance, and package delivery) received more than 10% opposition.”

 

Canada Drones

CONCERNS OVER MISUSE

 

The research also asked about the potential misuse or drones. Three different scenarios were presented to respondents: The use of drones for smuggling, flights over public spaces and flights over residential properties.

“Participants were most concerned about the potential misuse of RPAS by smugglers with 34.1% expressing a high level of concern and an additional 44.2% indicating a moderate level of concern,” states the report.

Reported cases of smuggling usually involve criminals dropping contraband into prison facilities. So while there is concern about such activities, these use-cases are generally rare and don’t directly impact members of the public or legitimate drone service providers. Arguably more relevant to the industry is concerns about flights over public spaces and homes, with the latter something that could become routine if and when urban drone deliveries take place.

Canada Drones

PRIVACY

 

Respondents were given the opportunity to get a little more specific about their concerns, with the option of entering their thoughts in a text box. Of the 1022 people surveyed, 611 (nearly 60 per cent) took the opportunity to offer additional information. And it’s clear: People are concerned about privacy.

“Responses relating to privacy concerns were the most common with 58.3% of responses highlighting some sort of privacy concern. Privacy was the most common word used, followed by variations of the words spy and surveillance,” states the report.

“Other words such as filming, video, pictures, etc. were entered and included under the privacy category. Government users were the most mentioned user of concern, followed by law enforcement, and hobbyists. Other issues raised related to the risk of collisions or drones falling out of the sky, hacking and cybersecurity, misuse by criminals, and the potential for weaponizing drones to target civilians.”

And there’s a lesson here, says Laliberté, for service providers. The public wants to know what these devices are doing when in public spaces or over residences, and what data is being collected.

“Things like package delivery…those are the ones (use-cases) where there will definitely need to be clear and transparent sharing of information: What are you doing? Who’s operating the aircraft? What kind of data is being collected? How’s the data being protected?” he says.

“I think the operators will have to be proactive about that sort of thing and really sort of get out there and explain their operations and be clear and transparent, and explain what they’re doing, how they’re doing it and how they’ve ensured that it’s safe.”

Laliberté suggests it could also be useful for drone operators in such use-cases to clearly mark their drones with company names and/or colors so that the devices can be identified from the ground. That way they’re not seen as an anonymous device with an unknown operator – which could contribute to concern/suspicion.

Below: First Responders operate a drone while trying to locate a missing person

Canada Drones

NOT JUST CANADA

 

It’s not just Canadians who have concerns about privacy. The paper cited three other research papers – two from the United States and one from Switzerland – that showed similar concerns.

“Similar to other democratic countries, the Canadians surveyed in this study expressed privacy concerns regarding the use of RPAS. Most of these concerns were related to surveillance by individuals, news organizations, or the government,” states the paper.

“The major concern with government users and law enforcement is surveillance, while with corporate entities, data collection for marketing is the largest concern, whereas with hobbyists, people are concerned about potential spying and recording of one’s actions. Future policy should be written to address each of these unique scenarios to improve the social acceptance of drones.”

The research also found there are differences in public acceptance based on perceived use of drones. If the drones can be obviously seen as a tool, their deployment is likely to be seen more favorably when compared with other forms of sensor-based data acquisition.

“The Dutch team of Bart Engberts and Edo Gillissen make the designation between the use of drones for sensory applications and their use as a tool,” explains Dr. Tepylo.

“Applications falling under the tool category such as using drones for firefighting or disaster monitoring typically have higher levels of support; however, the public is more weary when drones are used for sensory applications. These could include crime scene surveillance and even using drones to issue speeding tickets. People are used to a certain level of privacy and when drones are added to the mix, even without knowing how the drones are being used, they feel that their privacy is being taken from them.”

 

THE GOOD NEWS

 

It’s worth noting that the Carleton research indicates a shift in public opinion since the last major Canadian survey on the topic in 2014. People are more supportive of drones across all use-cases, with very strong support for First Responder use, disaster response and scientific research.

Also worth noting is that younger people and those with a background in RPAS tend to be more supportive than older Canadians and those who are less familiar with the technology. It also appears that words matter: The study used the word “drone” in half of its surveys and “Unmanned Aerial Vehicle” in the other half. Those surveyed were significantly more likely to support use-cases when the word “drone” was used rather than “Unmanned Aerial Vehicle.”

In fact, users were asked to identify their feelings on spotting a “drone” vs. an “Unmanned Aerial Vehicle” in the sky. People were more excited at the prospect of seeing something identified as a drone than an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle. Women expressed less enthusiasm than men regardless of the word used, and far greater concern than men at seeing an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle.

And why is that? The research revealed that more people are familiar with the term “drone” and could easily identify a quadcopter and associate it with the word. There was more confusion around “Unmanned Aerial Vehicle” – with respondents more likely to associate that term with a military device such as a Global Hawk.

Public Perception of Drones

AND THAT OTHER STUDY?

 

At the outset, we mentioned that there was a second paper which reviewed existing literature around public perceptions. Entitled “Public perception of advanced aviation technologies: A review and roadmap to acceptance,” the paper was published in April of 2023. In addition to Dr. Nick Tepylo and Professor Jeremy Laliberté (who authored the Canadian study), they were joined by Dr. Anna Straubinger from the Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research. In addition to drones, the review paper covers public perceptions of Urban Air Mobility and such technologies as air taxis (where Anna Straubinger has extensive expertise).

Because this is a long-ish post already, we’ll briefly hit some of the takeaways. The following highlights are taken directly from the review paper:

  • Interest in public perception of drones has been increasing since 2015
  • Awareness of drones is between 93 and 97% in North American and European countries
  • Support for drones increases with the level of awareness among the population
  • Support for air taxis has steadily increased and sits around 40–60%
  • Improving public perception is the key to widespread adoption of the technology

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION

 

Interestingly, the data shows that public perception can be influenced by where you live. In Switzerland, for example, support for package deliveries was 18 per cent. In Singapore, meanwhile, support was in the low 80s. High rates of public acceptance, says Professor Laliberté, will likely lead to earlier adoption in those countries – including technology such as air taxis.

“Especially with Urban Air Mobility (UAM) some of the initial trials were being done and proposed in countries where definitely the level of acceptance is higher,” he says. And as for Singapore and package deliveries?

“Singapore is relatively small, high density, and fairly urban. So it actually makes sense to try these (use-cases) out in some of these areas.”

Even a single drone service provider, doing work that’s perceived as good, can influence overall acceptance rates – which ultimately impact speed of adoption.

“Despite the lack of research data, Africa is a very promising location for the adoption of drone technology due to the work of Zipline,” says Dr. Tepylo.

“The company operates two medical supply distribution centres in Rwanda which can provide coverage for most of the country. When they see a drone in the sky, many Rwandans think of the potential life-saving mission that vehicle is completing so reactions are very positive. If the Zipline model is able to be replicated in other parts of Africa and rural areas around the world, it has the potential to accelerate the adoption of drones globally.”

Below: Graphic showing public acceptance of various use-cases by country. Locations with higher rates of public acceptance could well adopt these technologies at scale sooner than those with lower acceptance rates

Canada Drones

INDRO’S TAKE

 

We’re pleased to see these new papers – and particularly pleased to see researchers from Carleton University taking a lead in this field. These findings are tremendously useful to operators – and offer some useful takeaways when it comes to being transparent about operations due to the level of concerns around privacy. It’s also clear that public perceptions can play a role in influencing regulators when it comes to the pace of change.

At InDro, we’ve long emphasised what we would term ‘positive’ use-case scenarios. These include specialized products and training for First Responders, trials of prescription medication and COVID test supplies via drone – even the delivery of Automated External Defibrillators. It’s nice to see that these use-cases strongly align with high levels of public acceptance/support.

“It may well be inevitable that packages are delivered in urban settings down the road,” says InDro Robotics CEO Philip Reece. “But that’s still several years away. We see greater importance in delivering critical supplies like medications to cut-off and isolated communities and in developing specialised drones for First Responders and scientific data acquisition. We also believe these are the kinds of use-cases that – at least for the moment – are more likely to be viewed as both useful and safer when it comes to Transport Canada and BVLOS permissions.”

We recommend taking a deeper dive into this excellent research. You’ll find the paper on Canadian perceptions here, and the review paper on broader global data here.

The case for micro-credentials in the RPAS world

The case for micro-credentials in the RPAS world

Apr 18, 2023 | Area X.O, Education, InDro News, Scott Simmie

By Scott Simmie

 

The world of drones, as you likely know, changes rapidly.

In less than a decade, we’ve gone from the first DJI Phantom (which required an optional GoPro if you wanted images) – to highly sophisticated machines capable of BVLOS flights over 4G and 5G networks. Drones today have sophisticated obstacle avoidance, multiple sensors, and can be programmed to carry out missions autonomously. They routinely create digital twins, carry out volumetric calculations, and use specialised software for anomaly and change detection.

There are even devices designed for highly specific use-case scenarios, such as the innovative Voliro – built for non-destructive testing. Drones like this require highly specific training to operate.

In other words, drones are doing a lot more than capturing RGB images these days. Newer operations often involve complex planning, operations and data analysis. And that can mean pilot training above and beyond what’s currently required for a Transport Canada Advanced RPAS Certificate.

And so we pose the question: Has the time come for micro-credentials in the world of Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS)?

Below: A drone operated by Aerometrix. Its specialised sensor sniffs the air for methane and other gases. It requires specialised piloting and software skills.

Aerometrix

The status quo

 

At the moment, there are two nationally-recognised certifications for drone pilots in Canada. They are the Basic and Advanced RPAS Certificates, issued by Transport Canada.

“Right now the only government certification that’s offered in the drone space is for certification – and there are about 7,000 other pilots out there with that same certificate,” says Kate Klassen, a traditional aircraft pilot and instructor, as well as InDro’s Chief Flight Instructor.

In other words, there’s not much out there to differentiate a pilot’s skills; an RPAS Certificate, though useful, only tells us so much.

“It doesn’t cover the more specialized use-cases and skill sets that are needed to be hired for those really complex jobs. Until there are other recognised drone-specific knowledge certifications that you could point back to to beef up your resume, it will be challenging for those doing the hiring – and those wanting to be hired – to know what they’re getting and what’s needed.”

As a result, some pilots seeking more advanced skills (and jobs), can find themselves in what Klassen calls a “Catch-22.” How can you land jobs where you might learn some of those critical new skills if the employer won’t hire you because you don’t currently have them?

“The solution there,” says Klassen, “is additional training and credentials.”

 

The case for micro-credentials

 

The kind of training and credentials referred to above can be taught with brief but highly focussed courses – leading to “micro-credentials.” These badges of approval would be recognised by others in the industry.

And in fact, this is organically taking place already. At the British Columbia Institute for Technology, RPAS Operations Head Dr. Eric Saczuk has created and instructed two different micro-credential courses. Right now, he’s teaching “Drone Applications for an Environmental Risk Assessment.” Knowledge includes how to conduct a site survey and plan a mission, along with how to process colour, multi-spectral, and thermal drone images into data sets.

“Micro-credentials are focused, relatively short courses designed to give students access to specific, job-ready skills related to a particular industry,” says Dr. Saczuk, who has a PhD in Remote Sensing. He also sees a growing need for these courses as use-cases, technology and software become ever more specialised.

Obtaining a micro-credential (MC), says Dr. Saczuk, is beneficial both to drone operators and those doing the hiring for complex jobs.

“Having a micro-credential on your resume has the advantage of indicating to your potential employer that you are serious about continuing to upgrade and update your skills, learn new techniques, and invest in your professional development,” he says.

“It shows that you’re actively staying on top of the latest advances in your field and not just resting on your previous credentials. Speaking of which, one of the best advantages of MCs is that they are designed to ladder to other credentials such as Certificates, Diplomas and Degrees.”

Below: Dr. Eric Saczuk, who is also the Flight Operations Lead at InDro Robotics, carries out a complex drone operation for a client in Saudi Arabia. Specialised jobs require specialised skills.

 

 

Wayfinder Drone

EARNING MICRO-CREDENTIALS CAN BE FAST

 

Here’s the thing. Many drone operators who would like to up their skills are already working and it would be difficult – if not impossible – to attend a full-time or time-consuming course. In the case of BCIT, the course is designed specifically for those kind of people. The bulk of the instruction is online, with three 90-minute sessions during the work week and in-person skills instruction on Saturdays. One Micro-credential badge is earned every week for specific skills; the entire course is completed in four weeks.

“Generally, students LOVE the micro credential course!” says Dr. Saczuk.

“It doesn’t take up much of their busy day – remember, these students are usually working full- or part-time or have many other things on the go, so they don’t want you to waste their time – and we get right into the thick of it.”

Having already created two full courses, Dr. Saczuk is already looking ahead to developing more.

“I can envision developing future courses delving into high-precision photogrammetry using real-time kinematic positioning and ground control points,” he says.

“Another one could be tailored to First-Responders, disaster monitoring and/or search-and-rescue. We could put one together focusing solely on the use of thermal imagery to building envelope inspection or how to use multi-spectral imagery to map invasive species…as you can tell, there’s no limit to where this technology can be useful!”

 

NOT JUST DRONES

 

 

Drones aren’t the only arena where MCs would be useful. A similar technological evolution has been taking place in the world of Uncrewed Ground Vehicles (UGVs), or ground robots. Remote teleoperations, thermal sensing, digital twins and more are now routine tasks for UGVs. In fact, construction is underway for a high-end training and testing facility at Area X.O. It’s designed to current NIST standards for evaluation and training and will be operated by InDro Robotics. (You can read more about the forthcoming facility in this post.)

Below: A CGI video of the new drone and robot advanced testing and training facility. Construction is underway, with a planned opening date of June, 2023

 

 

WHAT’S NEXT?

 

Well, hopefully more micro-credential courses – and a growing number of higher education facilities offering them. But how to ensure that these MC courses produce pilots (and robot operators) with more or less equal skills?

Dr. Saczuk says currently, it’s up to the creator of the course to build the curriculum. He believes this system is working well, and that core skills will be similar from institution to institution.

“I have seen other courses taught by other institutions and organization about the same topic – say thermal image analysis) and they cover very much the same topics I do in that badge,” he says.

“I feel like if the authors and instructors are fully knowledgeable in the subject, the chances of the courses being standardized is pretty high without any external framework. Perhaps this is not the best approach, but it’s just what I’ve observed from my experience.”

InDro’s Kate Klassen, one of Canada’s most experienced online drone trainers and the creator of the online drone training portal FLYY, believes there’s room for some form of standardisation. This would ensure that those earning MC badges all learn a uniform skill set.

“I see it as a set of standards, much like how the pilot certification standards are set out in TP 15263 from Transport Canada, that professionals and academics in that industry niche establish,” she says.

“There could be flexibility in what those standards require. Some might be able to be taught online or in a classroom where others will need to be an in-person skill demonstration or working with a dataset to produce specific results. At the end, graduates would receive a traceable, validated and recognized credential they can use to set themselves apart.”

 

Below: Those operating robots, like drones, could benefit from specialised training

 

InDro Robotics

InDro’s TAKE

 

InDro Robotics was one of the earliest Canadian companies to enter the RPAS space. In addition to our Research and Development, we’ve long been involved with training. Some of that training has been tailored for First Responders and other specialized drone operations. We take training – both internally and externally – *very* seriously.

And we believe the case for more widespread micro-credentials, along with standardisation, is the way forward.

“Drones are much more than flying cameras these days,” says InDro Robotics CEO Philip Reece. “And ground robots have become equally sophisticated. Micro-credentials can ensure that operators are not only competent, but able to fully exploit the capabilities of these devices.

“With the new facility at Area X.O coming online soon, InDro will be exploring the possibility of offering micro-credentials as part of our specialised training.”

Oh. And if you’re looking to obtain your Transport Canada Basic or Advanced RPAS Certificate, look no farther than Kate Klassen’s excellent FLYY.

CONTACT

INDRO ROBOTICS
305, 31 Bastion Square,
Victoria, BC, V8W 1J1

P: 1-844-GOINDRO
(1-844-464-6376)

E: Info@InDroRobotics.com

copyright 2022 © InDro Robotics all rights reserved

InDro builds, delivers custom robot to global client

InDro builds, delivers custom robot to global client

Apr 10, 2023 | Case Studies, InDro News, InDro Solutions, Scott Simmie, UGV

By Scott Simmie

 

We’ve built a new robot we’d like to tell you about.

It’s for a highly specialised use-case scenario for a global client. (And when we say global client, it’s a household name.)

This isn’t the first project where we’ve been tapped by a heavy-hitting company to design and build custom robots. We have ongoing contracts with others, where unfortunately NDAs prohibit us from disclosing pretty much anything. (We can tell you that one of the ground robots we’re building for one of those clients is pretty big.)

In this case, the client has agreed to let us tell you a fair bit about the product, providing we don’t reveal their name. We think this is a really intriguing robot, so we’re going to share some details – including images of the final product.

Here it is. And, by the way, it’s as tall as the average person. The sensor poking out on the right near the top of the cylindrical portion is positioned at eye-level.

Custom Robot

NOT A PIZZA OVEN

 

With that stretching, stovepipe-like neck, it might look like a pizza oven on wheels. But it’s not. It’s designed that way so that sensors can be roughly at the head height of human beings. The box at the bottom could be thought of as a computer on steroids.

That’s because the client wanted this robot for a very specific purpose: To be able to navigate complex crowds of people.

“The client wants to use Vision SLAM (Simultaneous Localisation and Mapping) to essentially detect humans and pathways through chaotic environments,” says Arron Griffiths, InDro’s Engineering Manager. Arron works out of our Area X.O location, where the robot was fabricated.

“Think malls, shopping centres, and stuff like that where humans are mingling to navigate around. And there’s no really defined path, the robot must organically move around people. Yes, you’d have an overall predetermined path with a desired destination, but once the chaos of humans comes in the robot would safely meander its way through crowds.”

 

LOTS OF TECHNOLOGY

 

That’s not a simple task. The client is going to supply its own autonomy software, but InDro had to work closely with them on the robot’s design and capabilities.

We mentioned earlier that this robot is SLAM-capable. That means it can map its surroundings in real time and make its own decisions – while it’s moving – about where in the ever-changing environment it makes sense to go to next. Two ZED depth cameras provide a detailed look at those surroundings (one close to the ground, the other at human eye level). So it’s constantly scanning, mapping, and making decisions about where to move next in real-time.

This is a data-dense task that requires a *lot* of onboard computing power.

“It’s basically a really powerful desktop computer on wheels,” says InDro Account Executive Luke Corbeth. “It’s outfitted with serious computational power, including the same graphic cards that people use to mine bitcoin.”

And that posed another challenge for our engineering team. The client wanted the robot to be able to operate for several hours at a time. But that advanced computing capability really puts a drain on power. 

“Once you stick these high-end computers into a battery powered robotic system, your run time drops like a stone,” explains Griffiths. “It’s a bit of a beast on power. That’s why we had to put a second battery into the unit. This is an excercise in finding a balance point, and producing a robot that will do a high-end deployment with all of this high end technology.”

Custom Robot Canada

CLIENT-CENTRED PROCESS

 

This wasn’t the first custom-robot that client has requested. The international company has a longer-term research project focussed on enabling a robot to navigate when surrounded by unpredictable human beings. It has developed, and will continue to tweak, its own autonomy software to carry out this task in conjunction with this robot.

InDro worked closely with the client on the design – both the technical requirements in terms of processors, sensors, graphic cards, run time – as well as the physical appearance. Because the client had some very tight timelines, InDro designed and built this robot in a very short period of time: Seven weeks from outset until the product was shipped.

“That’s extremely fast,” says Griffiths. “That’s the fastest custom robot I’ve seen in my working profession. You’ve got to think design cycles, manufacturing, outsourcing, testing. From this being nothing, to being shipped out in less than two months is incredible.”

 

SOLUTION-FOCUSED

 

But there’s a difference between carrying out an expedited task – and doing a rush job. The focus always had to remain on ensuring that the capabilities, design, build and testing of this machine would meet or exceed the client’s rigorous standards. And that meant even the tiniest details counted.

For example, we’d discovered with a previous robot using the same locomotion platform that there could be an issue on rough surfaces. Specifically, if you were turning a tight corner or accelerating while turning, the wheels could shudder and jump. This was especially an issue on asphalt and concrete.

InDro’s engineering team knew that with this robot any such shudders would be amplified due to the height of the machine; a minor shudder at the base would translate into significant wobbling at the robot’s top. That wasn’t something we wanted happening.

And so we created a solution. We covered the individual wheels with a 3D-printed wrap. This provides a barrier between the sticky rubber and ground, allowing the robot to slightly slide during such manoeuvres and avoiding those troubling vibrations.

 

Below: Detail of the wheels, with their new coating

Custom Robot

CLIENT REACTION

 

When we pack up and ship a custom build, the client always gets in touch after they’ve received the product. That’s the moment of truth – and the feedback we eagerly await.

Not long after the robot arrived, an email from the client landed. It included the following:

“The robot is fantastic,” they wrote. “The craftsmanship is superb; the power on the base is enabling; the intricate way in which the computer fits in the base housing is incredible; the compute box + mast feels ‘just right’ (there’s no template for social robot design, but I feel like we got very close).

“All these things make me really confident that, with the right algorithms (my responsibility) we can safely and efficiently navigate through crowds. It’s a really special robot that I can’t wait to put in the field.  Your team deserves a raise!”

This robot, though it can’t cook pizzas, is one of the most powerful Uncrewed Ground Vehicles InDro has built, at least in terms of raw onboard computational power. Engineering lead Griffiths believes its capabilities could make a variation of this machine suitable for other clients, as well.

“I think it’s a very good platform for clients who want very high computing power in a small form factor  that actually has some range, some longevity to it,” he says.

Below: Even when they’re under the gun, our engineering team takes it all in stride

Robotics Engineers

INDRO’S TAKE

 

We’re often working on projects like this. In fact, this isn’t the first major global client to tap InDro for custom builds. As our tagline states: “Invent. Enhance. Deploy.” That’s what we do.

“This was an expedited design, build and test of a completely new and computationally powerful robot,” says InDro Robotics CEO Philip Reece. “We know that InDro’s reputation rides on every product we ship and every service we provide. So we’re delighted to hear the client is as pleased with this robot as we are – and look forward to building more for them.”

Interested in what a powerhouse machine like this might do for you? Feel free to explore the possibilities by setting up a conversation with Account Executive Luke Corbeth.

 

Ottawa International Airport, InDro, provide drone detection during Biden visit

Ottawa International Airport, InDro, provide drone detection during Biden visit

Mar 25, 2023 | Case Studies, Drone Detection, InDro News, Scott Simmie, YOW

By Scott Simmie

 

A drone detection system described as “probably the best at any airport in the country” played a role in ensuring the safety of Air Force One during Joe Biden’s first visit as US President to Canada.

InDro Robotics is one of the key technology partners, supplying drone detection hardware and software for the Ottawa International Airport (YOW) Drone Detection Pilot Project. It detects drone flights both near YOW and much further afield.

In advance of President Biden’s visit, The US Secret Service, as well as an advance team from Air Force One, visited YOW as part of advance preparations.

The teams wanted to be briefed on airport security, including security measures for the skies and the airport grounds. That included learning about the capabilities of YOW’s Drone Detection Pilot Project – which has been accurately detecting drones at the airport and beyond for years. The program has gained significant media attention – including a cover story for WINGS magazine in 2022:

Drone detection

DRONE DETECTION

 

When the Secret Service and those involved with Air Force One visited YOW on an advance reconnaissance trip, one of the first questions asked was about drones.

“They asked do we have a drone detection capability – and we were quite proud to tell them that we have probably the best at any airport in the country,” says Michael Beaudette, VP of Security, Emergency Management and Customer Transportation at YOW.

“It provides us with situational awareness not only of the immediate area, but throughout the National Capital Region up to almost 40 kilometres.”

Certain areas of Ottawa’s downtown core are designated restricted airspace because of the House of Commons, Embassies and other sensitive locations.

“During his (Biden’s) visit we paid particular attention to anything flying near the Ottawa airport or downtown,” says Beaudette. “Law enforcement are aware of the capabilities we have. It’s a good partnership and we were happy to be able to give something back to the police and intelligence services.”

 

THE INDRO CONNECTION

InDro provides core technology for the drone detection system. Other technology partners include Accipiter Radar, Aerial Armor and Skycope – a Canadian firm whose tech includes a database of unique RF signatures emitted by multiple brands of drones. NAV Canada is part of the project, and Transport Canada is kept in the loop on the data generated by the operation.

The effectiveness of the system was proven during the massive convoy protest in downtown Ottawa early in 2022. It detected multiple flights of drones in restricted airspace where UAVs are not permitted to fly. Those detections were covered by the Ottawa Citizen.

Below: Some of the data captured during the 2022 convoy protest in Ottawa. A wealth of data on illegal drone flights was captured:

Drone Detection

ONGOING DETECTION

 

The system runs 24/7, and is capable of triggering an alert whenever a drone intrusion is detected. In mid-March, 2023, a week prior to the US President’s visit, the system indicated an attempted drone intrusion on airport property.

“The alarms went off and they were tracking it – but because of the geofence around the airport, the pilot couldn’t get control of the drone and put it back down again and departed airport property,” says Beaudette.

“That one’s in our investigations right now. Anything that happens a week out from the visit we look at it very closely. Is it someone doing a rehearsal to detect weak points? Is it a plane enthusiast having a look? Someone who bought a new drone at Costco and decided to try it out? While it’s a little more challenging because the individual left, we did get a license plate and we’re now just connecting the dots.”

 

A SIGNIFICANT INTRUSION

 

That’s not the only recent intrusion. In December of 2022, there was a much more serious incident.

A pilot popped up a drone directly in the vicinity of YOW runways, flying within a couple of hundred feet of where planes were landing. It was also a larger drone, which would have almost certainly caused damage were there a collision with crewed aircraft.

The system was capable of not only detecting the drone, but pinpointing the location of the pilot. Law enforcement was immediately dispatched, and the pilot was caught in the act.

Wary of recent global incidents, authorities at YOW kept a very close watch during the US Presidential visit:

“We’ve seen a lot of incidents where drones can pose a significant threat, and certainly the war in Ukraine has advanced the offensive nature of drone use considerably,” says Beaudette. “There’s also recent footage of drone infiltration into Russian military installations where they were able to land a drone on top of an aircraft undetected. So you really have to have the capability to detect and respond to those threats.”

While the system does not have mitigation capabilities at this point (jamming RF frequencies is very complex under Canadian regulations except in extraordinary circumstances), the system is highly capable of real-time drone detection and identification, as well as pinpointing the position of the operator.

Below: Michael Beaudette, VP of Security, Emergency Management and Customer Transportation at the Ottawa International Airport, during an interview with Scott Simmie

 

Drone Detection

EYES ON THE SKY

The system did detect some drone activity in the National Capital Region during President Biden’s visit, but nothing that was deemed to pose a threat.

Below: President Biden meets with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau March 23, 2023. Image via Prime Minister Trudeau’s Twitter account:

President Biden

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED

President Biden, along with his aides and a media contingent, departed YOW the evening of March 24.

No drone flights were detected at the Ottawa International Airport during the visit.

“There’s been nothing that looks like it’s targeting the airport or wanting to get a look at Air Force One,” said Beaudette at the close of the Presidential trip.

Below: File photo of US President Joe Biden boarding Air Force One.

President Joe Biden

INDRO’S TAKE

InDro was, obviously, pleased there were no drone incursions at YOW during the visit by the US President. But it’s nice to know there was a system in place that could have detected any drone flights during this important visit.

“The Drone Detection Pilot Project has proven its worth since its inception,” says InDro Robotics CEO Philip Reece. “Getting no detections and being assured there’s no potential threat is just as valuable as identifying incursions – especially during a high-security event such as this.

“We’re proud of this ongoing project and our partnership with YOW, NAV Canada, and our technology partners Accipiter, Aerial Armor and Skycope. We believe this has proven to be an effective model, and one that could be deployed with confidence at other major airports or sensitive facilities.”

Reports are generated on a monthly basis by the YOW drone detection system; we’ll be sure to update you when news warrants. And speaking of that, we issued a news release on this as well. You can download it here.

CONTACT

INDRO ROBOTICS
305, 31 Bastion Square,
Victoria, BC, V8W 1J1

P: 1-844-GOINDRO
(1-844-464-6376)

E: Info@InDroRobotics.com

copyright 2022 © InDro Robotics all rights reserved

CONTACT

INDRO ROBOTICS
305, 31 Bastion Square,
Victoria, BC, V8W 1J1

P: 1-844-GOINDRO
(1-844-464-6376)

E: Info@InDroRobotics.com

copyright 2022 © InDro Robotics all rights reserved

InDro obtains FAA BVLOS waiver for solar farm inspections

InDro obtains FAA BVLOS waiver for solar farm inspections

Feb 23, 2023 | InDro News, InDro Solutions, Scott Simmie

By Scott Simmie

 

InDro Robotics has obtained what we believe to be a Canadian first: A waiver from the Federal Aviation Administration to conduct Beyond Visual Line of Sight flights.

The waiver will allow InDro to expand its successful program of remotely piloted infrastructure inspections where we ship a drone to the location – and instruct a person there to be a Visual Observer during the flight.

Specifically, the FAA waiver permits InDro to remotely operate drone inspections of fenced solar farms in Class G airspace, 10 miles (16 km) from airports. Operations can reach a maximum altitude of 400′ AGL.

The waiver opens the skies for InDro to tap into a large market, remotely inspecting some of the 2,500+ solar farms in the United States.

Below: A solar farm in Hawaii. Photo courtesty Reegan Moen, US Dept of Energy.

Solar Farm Inspection

Inspection without the hassle

 

Solar farms require regular inspection. Traditionally, these have been done by employees walking the grounds with a handheld thermal sensor, plus their own visual inspection. But this task is time-consuming, and can last days at a large facility.

As a result, many solar farms have switched – or are in the process of switching – to aerial inspection using drones. Combining visual and thermal inspection from above, issues with broken, malfunctioning and even dirty panels can be quickly identified. Many solar farms can be inspected in less than an hour and even large installations usually take less than a day.

But doing drone inspections with employees comes with a cost. The pilot must meet FAA Part 107 or Transport Canada standards. That involves training, time and money before even purchasing a drone. Plus, with next-generation drones coming out with better sensors, longer flight times and newer features, it doesn’t take long before that drone will require replacing.

The InDro Robotics solution is simple and cost-effective. We ship the client a current drone, suited to the task. We work with someone on-site, instructing them how to turn on the drone and act as a Visual Observer. One of our pilots then flies the mission remotely, maintaining continuous communication via phone with the visual observer.

With a solid 5G connection, data is uploaded directly to the cloud during the mission and processing begins. We can have a report identifying anomalies in the hands of most clients shortly after the mission. Once the flight is complete, the drone is packed up and shipped back to InDro.

We’ve done this at multiple facilities in Canada already, operating from hundreds of kilometres away. Receiving the FAA approval means we’ll be able to deploy the same solution in the United States.

And what does that look like? Well, like this – whether you’re 100 kilometres away or 5,000:

Rigorous criteria

 

As with Transport Canada’s Special Flight Operations Certificate (SFOC), obtaining an FAA waiver requires that an applicant satisfy the regulator on multiple fronts.

The FAA application, for those interested, asks a high number of detailed questions  requiring equally detailed answers. Here’s the first from the InDro application:

§ 107.31 Visual Line of Sight Aircraft Operation Question: Describe how the Remote Pilot in Command (RPIC) will be able to continuously know and determine the position, altitude, attitude, and movement of their small unmanned aircraft (sUA) or Drone and ensure the sUA or Drone remains in the area of intended operation without exceeding the performance capabilities of the command and control link. 

“When the RPIC or person operating the small unmanned aircraft system (sUAS) or Drone cannot see the sUA or Drone, how will they know, at all times, the current real-time: Geographic location Altitude above the ground Attitude (orientation, deck angle, pitch, bank), the direction of flight of the sUA or Drone…”

And that’s just one from a series of Q&As that stretched over seven dense pages of single-space text.

At the end of the day, however, it isn’t about individual answers. It’s more about the big picture of them taken collectively. Such permissions ultimately come down to this: The regulator must feel the mission poses minimal risk to crewed aircraft and people and property on the ground. They must also feel confident the operator has the expertise to carry out the mission as planned.

InDro satisfied this on both fronts, receiving a waiver valid until December 31, 2026.

We contacted the FAA Press Office to inquire whether any other Canadian company has ever received a waiver. They couldn’t answer that, stating that “Part 107 does not address company ownership, but restricts all 107 operations to ‘…within/in the United States.'”

 

FAA

A busy year of flying

 

We were in the air for clients – and for R&D – a lot in 2022. In fact, we recently tallied up our flights for an internal Town Hall meeting, and decided to share.

The high points?

  • A total of 336 flights carried out, including missions in Canada, the US, South America and Saudi Arabia
  • 40,802 aerial photos captured
  • 487 kilometres of flight using multirotor drones

“All of our field operations were successfully completed,” Flight Operations Lead and GIS specialist Eric Saczuk told staff during the Town Hall. “And that speaks a lot to the quality of the team – to all of the work that goes on in the background has allowed us to have that success rate.” 

During the townhall, it was revealed that the only incident encountered in 2022 operations was a landing gear issue on a single flight.

“If that’s all that happened with more than 400 active flights from all over the world,” he continued, “We’re doing something right. We have a great team, and great products.”

Below: A graphic from the internal InDro Town Hall showing highlights of the company’s drone operations:

FAA

InDro’s take

 

InDro began as an R&D company doing work exclusively in the drone space. And while we’ve expanded to ground robotics, pushing the envelope in the RPAS arena is still a very large chunk of what we do. Our new InDro Pilot software and hardware solution, for example, turns any Pixhawk-based Enterprise drone into a tele-operated system capable of dense and highly secure real-time uploads during missions.

The company has flown many Visual Line of Sight missions in the US already; the new FAA waiver will now allow InDro to deploy its teleoperated system.

“We’re pleased the FAA has seen fit to grant us this BVLOS waiver,” says InDro CEO Philip Reece. “Permitting these kinds of teleoperated missions will save clients both time and money, while ensuring they still receive best-in-class piloting and data acquisition/interpretation. We have deep expertise in solar farm inspections – and look forward to carrying out missions with this waiver.”

Interested in learning more? Feel free to contact Account Executive Luke Corbeth.

InDro hires Head of Strategic Innovations

InDro hires Head of Strategic Innovations

Feb 16, 2023 | InDro News, InDro Solutions, Innovation, Scott Simmie

By Scott Simmie

 

As a Research and Development company, InDro Robotics is – by necessity – engineering-heavy. Our staff at Area X.O in Ottawa and in British Columbia are constantly pushing the envelope when it comes to inventing and deploying new solutions in hardware, software and service provision.

As a result, much of the focus of our hiring in the past couple of years has been expanding our engineering staff.

But with a growing number of InDro products and clients, it’s also important to identify and develop key partnerships. And on that front, we’re pleased to announce a non-engineer hire. Stacey Connors joins the InDro team as Head of Strategic Innovations.

The role is about the big picture – and a long-term vision of planning and executing InDro’s growth trajectory.

“My role is to find where we want to go, find the vertical that InDro should lean into, then determine what infrastructure we need based on our initial customer understanding and discoveries.”

It’s a big job. And Stacey comes with the requisite experience.

Stacey Connors

FedEx

Connors comes to InDro after a 12-year, high-level run at FedEx, the global leader in express transportation. Beginning as an account executive, she went on to positions in Strategic Development, became a Worldwide Account Manager, and was a District Manager when she made the leap to InDro.

Much of her work with FedEx involved B2B development. She worked with a variety of different verticals, including aerospace, retail, healthcare and manufacturing. She comes with a special knack for putting pieces together.

“What I enjoyed about it was twofold,” she says: “Finding the intersection between the solution that my organization had available and the need or problem that the customer’s trying to solve.”

Leap of faith

 

Connors says she truly enjoyed her work at FedEx. But when the opportunity at InDro came along, she felt ready for a new challenge that would push her beyond her comfort zone.

“I was craving something wildly different,” she says. “I hadn’t remotely thought about robotics and laughed when Peter (Peter King, Head of Robotic Solutions) first mentioned it. But it was a personal opportunity to get uncomfortable, be challenged, and work on the edge – where you have to be sharp.” 

Connors has quickly jumped in, traveling to Area X.O on her first week to meet a visiting robotics company from Europe and a delegation from NAV CANADA. While there, she quickly observed one of InDro’s key strengths.

“In my first few days it was very obvious that there’s a cohesiveness among all individuals in the organization. Everyone fully understands the business objectives we’re trying to achieve and the value that each of them bring,” she says. “When I walk into an organization and see that collective spirit, that’s the horse I’m going to bet on.”

 

Solutions

 

 

Drawing on her FedEx experience, Connors says she’s excited to start identifying companies that might benefit from InDro’s many robotic solutions – including a new inventory drone system that autonomously scans warehouse stock. But while sales may well result from her work, her role is really about the bigger strategic picture as InDro continues to grow.

“Yes, I’ll be leveraging our R&D capabilities to accelerate specific industries in their use of these technologies,” she says. “But I really see InDro as an integrator – and that’s almost how I would describe my role. We have research and development, the newest and latest and greatest. I’ll be going out and seeing who has other pieces we don’t have and bringing them all together. And that really gets me excited.”

Canada Robotics

Other expertise

 

Connors, in addition to her accomplishments at FedEx, has other expertise that will serve her well in this role. She has a Bachelor of Health Science from Wilfrid Laurier University,  along with a post-graduate degree from the University of the Sunshine Coast in Australia. She’s also a certified Talent Management Practitioner, has gone through the Ivey Sales Leadership Program, has studied Emotional Intelligence at McMaster’s DeGroote School of Business, and is also a Certified Multipliers Leader – with the latter meaning she has expertise to help bring out the greatness in others.

But she’d rather talk about InDro – and what she’s learned since coming onboard – than about herself.

“At FedEx our operators were the core and value of the company. And it is obvious that the engineers are the core value of this company,” she says. “Research and development is that incessant hunger to continue to provide new options, new solutions, new technologies. And you can feel that spirit here.”

Autonomous Cars

InDro’s take

 

The hiring of Stacey Connors as Head of Strategic Innovations is significant for a couple of reasons. The first, obviously, is that she brings proven skills, expertise, and an outstanding reputation.

But the second is really about the timing.

InDro Robotics has been growing steadily. In the last two years our team has developed and deployed multiple new products and services, and we are working with several global technology companies. Our engineering team has continued to grow.

“We are at a significant juncture in the company’s trajectory,” says CEO Philip Reece. “While InDro will always be an engineering-first firm, we are now at the stage of securing strategic partnerships to ensure the next phase of growth. Stacey is the right person, in the right position, at the right time.”