New heavy-lift autogyro grabs attention @AUVSI

New heavy-lift autogyro grabs attention @AUVSI

Apr 26, 2022 | AUVSI XPONENTIAL, eVTOL, Industry News, Scott Simmie

We had barely got onto the XPONENTIAL trade floor in Orlando before something really caught our attention. Part of the reason was because it was big. But it was also very different.

It’s an entirely new type of VTOL drone that uses an autogyro-type system for lift. The drone is called ATLIS, and it’s billed as a long-range, heavy lift VTOL cargo UAV. It’s built by a Florida company called Aergility, which has previously successfully tested scale models of this design.

“We flew our first 1:4 scale model about four years ago,” says Brian Vander Mey, Aergility’s Director of Sales and Marketing. “Then we built a 30 per cent scale model, and this is the debut of our full-scale model. This is our third generation.”

Take a look at this thing. It’s quite something:

VTOL cargo UAV

The Aergility ATLIS has a claimed range of 300 miles (480 km) with a payload of 500 pounds (227 kg). The company says it’s been designed for dropping critical supplies to disaster areas, hostile environments, and more.

“We want to be in places that have limited, damaged infrastructure or uavailable infrastructure,” says Brian Vander Mey, Aergility’s Director of Sales and Marketing.

“That would be anything from 400,000 villages in Africa, to oil platforms, to military applications where it costs $1,000 per litre to deliver water into the field.”

 

A VTOL with autogyro

 

This drone has quite an unusual design. Forward thrust is carried out by a multi-fuel turboprop engine. You can get a closer look at the front end here:

Cargo Drone

The back end, meanwhile, opens up much like a military cargo aircraft. This enables rapid loading and unloading, which is a major factor in a critical situation.

Cargo Drone

Takeoff, transition, autogyro

 

The ATLIS features a total of seven propellors and motors. The fuel engine is the one you saw previously, and is responsible for thrust in forward flight. In addition, ATLIS has six other motors that function both for vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL), like a quadcopter.

But during the transition to forward flight, the power to those VTOL rotors is gradually decreased to zero. Airflow starts to move those props of its own accord – meaning they begin to auto-rotate simply due to forward motion through air. Once they reach a sufficient speed, they provide lift just like a wing.

But these motors can also be controlled – slowed down on one side or the other (or front to back) by regenerative braking. The power generated during that braking process is transferred to the rotors on the opposite side of the aircraft, increasing their speed. Doing this gives the pilot authority over yaw, pitch and roll.

“So if you want to bank, you add power to rotors on one side by generating and drawing power from rotors on the opposite side,” says Vander Mey. “The net is that zero power has been used.

“The aircraft is remarkably simple. There are no ailerons, it’s just rotors.”

Here’s a better explanation, followed by a shot of one of those combination VTOL/autogyro rotors.

 

ATLIS
ATLIS Cargo Drone

Getting ready for flight

 

The ATLIS on display has not yet flown. But it’s not a mockup (something that occasionally plagues trade shows). The carbon fuselage is the real deal, but final integration of components has not yet been done. The company has successfully flown a 1:3 scale version, and will take ATLIS to the air by the end of summer.

“There’s going to be an extensive certification process. The first thing is to get the aircraft in good shape and ready for production,” says Vander Mey. “So we are going to be doing our initial flight testing for this aircraft in late summer, and we’re targeting having production units available 18-24 months from now.”

Cargo Drone

Scale model in flight

 

As mentioned, Aergility has previously produced scale models of this drone. You’ll see in this video that roll, pitch and yaw have all been achieved despite no airelons. Of course, multi-rotors do this as well – but standard quadcopters continuously supply power to all rotors. The ATLIS does not, once in full forward flight. And when inputs are required, it puts the brakes on some rotors, generating the power required to speed up opposing rotors.

This strikes us as new. Aergility appears to have been successful with its prototype:

InDro’s Take

 

This unusual design caught our eye. If Aergility can successfully get its full-scale version through certification, it will certainly find a market. The ability to move 500 pounds of cargo 300 miles in a VTOL-style aircraft is very significant, and we can foresee many humanitarian and emergency use-cases, as well as just routine deliveries to remote communities.

We’re also intrigued by the autogyro aspect, and the ability to change autogyro speeds for flight inputs (what Aergility calls “Managed Autorotation Technology” or MAT). ATLIS does not require tilting motors or variable pitch rotors; we’d love to see this sytem in action.

We wish Aergility the best in test flights, certification, and bringing this product to market. A drone like this, if successful, will certainly fill a void.

 

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 Robotics at AUVSI’s XPONENTIAL show

Indro Robotics at AUVSI’s XPONENTIAL show

Apr 25, 2022 | AUVSI XPONENTIAL, Drone News, Events, Industry News, Scott Simmie

Welcome to the Greatest Show on Earth, or at least the biggest when it comes to drones and robots.

The Association for Uncrewed Vehicles Systems International (AUVSI) is back with a full-scale, in-person XPONENTIAL show for the first time since the global pandemic. With members in more than 60 countries – and an ever-increasing number of companies offering products – this is considered the event to attend. The trade floor, when it opens April 26, will showcase products from the world’s largest manufacturers…right through to some of the smallest.

Only exhibitors were allowed in today, setting up their displays. You can get a tiny glimpse of the floor in the background in the following shot. And that woman with the yellow tie? She means business. No one on the floor without an exhibitor’s pass. Don’t even ask.

XPonential

As usual, there were some smaller educational seminars and panels on a day when a lot of people were still registering. To give you a sense of scale, check out how large the registration area is. Given that it takes only about a minute to get your pass, maximum, this is massive.

XPONENTIAL

Sessions

 

We took in a few sessions today, just to get warmed up for the main event. A couple of them had some pretty interesting little nuggets.

For example, there was a panel called “When does a vehicle become the driver?” which raised some intriguing points we hadn’t considered. For example, disability activists are keen to have a voice at the table for autonomous vehicles due to the obvious advantages they will provide for those unable to drive a regular car. Wiley Deck, the VP of Government Affairs and Public Policy with the autonomous trucking firm Plus, said he’s heard many with disabilities say “‘We want to be in at the front door, and we think we deserve that’.”

Makes sense. And, arguably, autonomous vehicles might be a boon for elderly people whose decision-making skills and reaction times have diminished with age. But when it comes to legislation, that raises another question.

“Fewer and fewer people will be human drivers,” said Kelly Bartlett, a Connected and Automated Vehicle Specialist with the Michigan Department of Transport (and a guy who thinks about laws a lot).

 “We’ve got to decide, who is that person? Maybe it’s a Level 4 or Level 5 (autonomous vehicle). Who is that person? Do they have to know traffic laws, for example?”

Interesting question, and one Barlett said will have to be tackled by legislators at some point in the future.

 

Autonomous trucking will take time

 

One of the other striking things from the panel, considering the capabilities of vehicles like those from Tesla, is that the world of autonomous long-haul trucking isn’t coming anytime soon.

If the route were a simple A-B, things would be easier. But the reality, said panelists, is that most of the millions of trucks hitting the road daily in the US have complex routes. They need to stop for fuel or, in the future, for charging. They need to cross states that have different laws. And, just as there are concerns with drones conflicting with traditional aviation, regulators and the public will need to be satisfied these vehicles are truly safer – and in all scenarios.

For example: What would happen if a front steering tire of an autonomous truck blew out at highway speeds? We don’t actually know yet, though at some point such tests will be carried out on tracks. Think of how many scenarios might be involved – how does an autonomous vehicle react to an oil slick? When being towed?

Lots to think about. Speaking of which, when do you predict autonomous trucks will be ubiquitous? Five years? Ten?

According to the panel, you’d be premature.

“It’s decades away,” said Wiley Deck. “If you’re entering the industry now, you’ll be able to retire as a trucker.”

There was also an amazing story about one of the first autonomous vehicle demonstrations, way back in 1925. Too long to go into here, but there’s a fascinating read here, if you’re inclined. It even involves Houdini.

 

Blue sUAS

 

You may have heard of Blue sUAS. It’s a list of drones that have been vetted by a Department of Defense branch called the Defense Innovation Unit to comply with the National Defense Authorization Act in the United States. You might think of them as an “approved” list of non-weaponised drones for use by the military, or those using federal funds. Drones using major components manufactured in China are excluded, including DJI. There are also fairly rigid cybersecurity hurdles the drones must pass.

But that has led to some confusion – and concern among organizations that cannot afford the vetted drones. Shelby Ochs, seen in the next photo, is the Program Manager, Autonomy, with the Defense Innovation Unit. They’re the folks that vetted the first list of Blue sUAS drones. At the moment, that list contains eight drones, listed here.

 

AUVSI

Problem is, when the Defense Innovation Unit first came out with its initial list of Blue sUAS, many people in government, law enforcement, and – albeit rarely – some commercial companies, believed these were the only drones they could purchase.

“People thought this was a prescriptive list,” says Ochs. “So there were a lot of agencies in the federal government who said: ‘If they’re good enough for the Department of Defense, they’re good enough for us, too.'”

That, in his opinion, was a mistake. And he emphasized the following point multiple times during his presentation. In fact, he said it at least three times:

“Any company can sell any drone to any organization, so long as it meets their administrative requirements.”

So that cleared things up. Also of note, Ochs says the Defense Innovation Unit has been looking at adding more drones to the list – and another 15 US-made drones are currently under consideration. He also predicts that average prices of US-made, Blue sUAS products will come down over time.

That’s it for now. Check in later, as we’ll be posting lots of cool content from XPONENTIAL.

 

Draganfly sells, donates drones for use in Ukraine

Draganfly sells, donates drones for use in Ukraine

Apr 12, 2022 | Drone News, Drones for good, Industry News, Scott Simmie

By Scott Simmie

The use of non-military drones in Ukraine has jumped significantly since the Russian invasion began. Consumer products, particularly DJI drones, have been widely used by both sides in the war for situational awareness and identifying combatant positions. They’ve also been used extensively by journalists to help convey the scale of the devastation, particularly the destruction of civilian targets.

Now, North American drone manufacturer Draganfly has announced it will be sending 10 drones for use by Ukrainian forces. The drones – five Medical Response drones and five for Search and Rescue – have been purchased by a third party as a donation to the non-profit relief agency Revived Soldiers Ukraine. They are part of an initial order (subject to conditions) of up to 200 units destined for the conflict zone.

We wanted to learn more about the drones and how they’ll be used, so we sat down virtually with the CEO of Draganfly, Cameron Chell.

Before there was DJI in Shenzhen, there was Draganfly in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan (Canada). Initially founded by Zenon and Christine Dragan in 1998, the company released its first commercialized quadrotor the following year. In 2001, it released the first multi-rotor UAV with an integrated camera system.

It wasn’t long before some early adopters in law enforcement started embracing the utility of drones, using them to help document and clear accident scenes and for Search and Rescue operations.

In fact, in 2013 a FLIR-equipped Draganfly drone helped locate someone who had sustained a head injury in an auto accident and wandered away in freezing temperatures, suffering severe hypothermia. It’s credited as the first drone rescue to save a human life. In fact, that drone now resides in the Smithsonian National Air and Space museum. The case was written about here.

 

Cameron Chell

In July of 2015, Draganfly was acquired by a US technology firm, which is how Chell came into the picture. He says the company’s connection with First Responders has only grown – and is very much part of Draganfly’s identity.

“Draganfly has sold more than 9000 drones or drone systems to public safety,” he says. “We have a strong history of being of service, or trying to be of service, to the First Responder community. That’s a big piece of culture in the organization.”

And that’s why, he says, the shipment of drones to Ukraine is a good fit.

 

Drones for Ukraine

 

The drones were actually purchased by channel partner Coldchain Delivery Systems which specializes in packaging for temperature-sensitive products with an emphasis on medical supplies. Coldchain also has a $750,000 contract with Draganfly for a multi-phase project that could ultimately bring 9-1-1 dispatched drone medical deliveries to the entire state of Texas.

Cold Chain wanted these drones purchased for Revived Soldiers Ukraine, a non-profit agency playing a significant role in assisting during the conflict. (In March alone, RSU provided goods ranging from ambulances and portable X-Ray machines through to bullet-proof vests and helmets for medical personnel and civilians totalling more than $2.75M dollars.)

A total of 10 drones were purchased by Coldchain Delivery Systems for the initial order. Draganfly is selling the drones at cost, and is donating an additional three drones free of charge. Chell says the drones had to be modified to make them suitable for use in Ukraine.

“We had to change all the comms systems out,” he explains. “It’s a different LTE system, there’s a bunch of interference.”

The first drones will ship mid-April.

 

The Medical Response drone

 

Here’s a look at the medical drone, which uses Coldchain’s proprietary system to keep medical supplies at required temperatures.

 

Draganfly

The Medical Response drone has a temperature regulated payload of 35 pounds. It’s intended for shuttling critical supplies, including blood, pharmaceuticals, insulin/medicines, vaccines, water, and wound care kits.

You’ll note in the photo above that the payload is shown on top of the drone. This machine is also capable of carrying the payload beneath, with a quick-release mechanism. Dropping the cargo close to the ground and quickly resuming flight removes potential risk for those receiving the cargo (they won’t be getting close to the drone). It also extends battery life, since the drone won’t have to fully land, shut down, then re-start. Flight time is 25 minutes, with an estimated range of three+ kilometres with a 20-pound payload. Lighter payloads – and it’s anticipated some will be lighter – will have a greater range.

“We’re providing drones that are very specific for exactly what they need,” says Chell. “Some others might have an airframe, but they don’t have a temperature-managed payload – so this is very specifically built, this is mission-critical.”

Range on the first shipment will be limited to RF communication over two kilometres. But a second batch, modified for Ukraine, will utilize LTE and have solid communication over a 20-kilometre range.

And the Search and Rescue drones? They’re smaller, faster, and equipped with a thermal sensor – which could prove useful in detecting people trapped in rubble or bombed buildings. Revived Soldiers Ukraine has experienced drone operators; Draganfly will be providing virtual training for these specific drones, and is examining potentially sending trainers to Poland and even Ukraine if more drones are sent in future. (Assuming the first 10 are effective in the field, the potential is here for up to 200 drones being purchased.)

Donations

 

In addition to the these first drones, Chell says several shareholders contacted the company and offered to purchase drones to be donated to the cause. Seven drones have been purchased for this purpose. Chell says the interest has been so great the company now has a page up for people interested in directly purchasing drones for donation. The company says it will provide ongoing mission statistics for those donated humanitarian drones, and possibly even video of some missions.

Draganfly

As you can see by the price tags and builds, these are not consumer drones. The open-source, North American-made Draganfly products are purpose-built for specific tasks, and feature secure data handling.

Perhaps more important in a war zone, they cannot be tracked with an Aeroscope the way DJI products can. The Aeroscope device is capable of tracking not only DJI drones but also the location of the pilot, which – in a war zone – carries significant risks. (It’s believed that Russia has deployed Aeroscope units.)

“We don’t have system where someone else can track the pilot and track the drone,” says Chell. “These things can’t be tracked.”

(Just FYI, other drone companies have recently announced donations on the Ukraine front. We’ve seen recent announcements from Skydio and Volatus.

 

A personal connection

 

While Draganfly has a corporate tradition of working closely with First Responders, Chell reveals that a personal experience has made this mission resonate even more.

“I was at the base of the towers at 9-11 when the first plane hit,” he says.

“Not that I wasn’t a First Responder fan before that, but that weighs very prominently into my ethos or direction in wanting to give back to that community…and in humanitarian situations.”

InDro’s Take

 

Though we haven’t deployed to a war zone, we have flown disaster response missions. In addition, InDro Robotics has considerable experience with drone delivery. We shuttled COVID test kits from a remote, island-based community on a regular basis during the peak of the pandemic. We’ve also been involved in multiple trials and projects, delivering everything from prescription medications and simulated blood products through to Automated External Defibrillators.

We know, from that work, that even with deliberate planning there can be unexpected obstacles, such as gaps in cellular connectivity, interference, abrupt weather changes, etc. Draganfly has already anticipated some of these challenges, including RF interference, cellular dropouts, and the different LTE system.

Successful deliveries, especially when the cargo is critical, require getting the right product in the right hands at the right time. This is even more urgent and difficult in a hostile environment. Revived Soldiers Ukraine has been on the ground since day one of the conflict, and will have a good handle on both the challenges – and the needs.

We wish Draganfly and Revived Soldiers Ukraine the very best in this endeavour – and look forward to an update in the future.

InDro Robotics hits the podcast circuit

InDro Robotics hits the podcast circuit

Apr 8, 2022 | FLYY, InDro News, Kate Klassen, Philip Reece, Scott Simmie

By Scott Simmie

It’s been a busy week for InDro Robotics on the airwaves of the internet.

Two of our best talkers were asked to be guests on two separate industry podcasts, and the final products of both were released within two days of each other. Our CEO, Philip Reece, was the first up to the microphone, followed by Strategy and Implementation Specialist (and widely recognized training professional) Kate Klassen.

Because Philip went first (and because he’s the boss), we’ll start with him.

Philip was asked to appear on a podcast called Inflection Points. The highly rated podcast (Five Stars!) describes itself as exploring the “vision of the future of network-based technology.”

Because many of our products (and much of our R&D) focus on connected devices, Philip was a good choice for that broader topic. But the show’s hosts wanted to a deeper dive into an area where InDro’s CEO is an expert: The world of drones.

Here’s the synopsis for the episode:

“Just a few years ago drones were about hype. The reality is that this network-based tech is making a real difference in our lives today. Join hosts Carla Guzzetti and Tim Harrison as they hear from Indro Robotics CEO Philip Reece exactly how this change is happening and just when those drones will be dropping those shoes you just bought right to your door.”

Philip had an answer for that – and much more.

 

Philip Reece

It’s always great when a podcast reveals something new or unexpected. And we can tell you there were more than a few gems in this episode. But perhaps the most entertaining was when Philip explained how he switched from the world of running a seaplane airline to the world of drones (and, eventually, other robotics).

We’d love to tell you that story here, because it’s really entertaining – but we’ll let Philip tell you instead. There’s much more, of course, including a deep dive into the future of networked devices, including how aerial and ground robots will routinely be working collaboratively.

Before we get to the show, here’s a snippet that gives you an idea what to expect (and also flags that there’s cool stuff about Uncrewed Ground Vehicles, as well):

On with the show…

Okay, enough preamble. Time to hear Philip, Carla and Tim – and learn when a drone might actually deliver Carla those shoes.

Wait, there’s more!

Philip is a great and knowledgeable talker. But he’s got some competition from Kate Klassen.

Kate is widely known in Canadian circles for her contributions to both traditional aviation (she’s a multi-rated commercial pilot and instructor) as well as her immense impact on the drone world. Both Kate and Philip serve on Transport Canada’s CanaDAC Drone Advisory Committee and as board members on the Aerial Evolution Association of Canada (formerly Unmanned Systems Canada).

And Kate, who previously created and fronted a highly successful online drone course in Canada, recently outdid herself with FLYY – a brand new and fully updated set of online courses you can read about here.

FLYY is on track to become the new leader in online learning, and even includes a supportive internal social network where pros like Kate share tips with beginners on everything from safety protocols through to nailing the perfect aerial photograph. When we say it’s a comprehensive learning and resource portal, we mean it.

With a background like that, it should be no surprise that Commercial UAV News wanted to hear more from Kate about FLYY, the importance of solid training – and much more. Here she is, on the latest edition of Beyond Part 107:

If you just skipped that podcast but are considering checking out FLYY, we’d encourage you to go back.

Why? Well, let’s just say there’s a little Easter Egg (perfectly timed!) waiting somewhere in that show – a discount code for FLYY. Plus, of course, it’s likely you’re learn something from Kate.

Hope you enjoy the podcasts; both Kate and Philip are real pros.

InDro Robotics, London Drugs, pilot Roll-E robot

InDro Robotics, London Drugs, pilot Roll-E robot

Apr 7, 2022 | InDro News, Robotics, ROLL-E, Scott Simmie

By Scott Simmie, InDro Robotics

 

Meet Roll-E.

It’s a cargo-carrying Uncrewed Ground Vehicle (UGV), or robot, developed by InDro Robotics. It can be remotely teleoperated from around the corner or across the country. And it’s being put into service in a new partnership with London Drugs, helping with contactless curbside deliveries in Victoria.

We’ll explore all the relevant deets in a moment, but first – let’s take a look at this nifty and smart machine.

Delivery Robots

You’ve got to admit, that’s a pretty good-looking robot. But Roll-E is much more than that.

Built on the AgileX Scout Mini platform, Roll-E has been constructed to operate over the 5G and 4G networks. The remotely operated robot has a temperature-controlled cargo bay, GPS tracking, wireless charging – and turns on a dime. It also has front and rear cameras so that the operator can avoid any obstacles.

But what’s it doing at London Drugs? Glad you asked. Here’s the headline, from the London Drugs news release:

London Drugs Delivery

As we inexorably head into the Internet of Things universe, connected devices like Roll-E will play an ever-greater role in daily life. In this case, InDro Robotics has teamed up for an innovative pilot project at the London Drugs Harris Green Village location in Victoria, BC.

The global pandemic has changed, perhaps permanently, business and consumer practices. Online ordering and curbside pickups have grown tremendously. So we’re excited about using Roll-E to deliver secure, contactless pickup to drivers collecting goods.

And so is London Drugs:

“With the ubiquity of curbside pickup services now available, we’re constantly looking at new ways to invest and adopt cutting-edge solutions that will serve our customers in the safest, easiest and most user-friendly ways possible,” says Clint Mahlman, London Drugs president and COO. “We’re excited to pilot ROLL-E at our Harris Green Village store and further explore the full range of applications that this technology can add to our services in Victoria and at other locations throughout Western Canada.”

The UGV advantage

Though there’s a lot of potential for drone delivery (and more on this in a moment), current regulations make flying drones – particularly operating drones beyond the visual line of sight of the pilot in urban centres – difficult. The rules exist for very good reasons, including the protection of people, property and airspace.

Uncrewed Ground Vehicles are different. They operate on sidewalks or paths, not in airspace. The remote operator has a clear view of surroundings at all times, and pedestrians are given the right-of-way. InDro’s UGVs are all electrically powered, meaning zero emissions. InDro also received permission from Victoria’s municipal authorities, who are onboard with this pilot project.

This isn’t InDro’s first collaboration with London Drugs. In an earlier trial carried out in conjunction with Canada Post and Salt Spring Island’s Country Grocer, InDro demonstrated the ability to quickly and securely deliver prescription drugs to remote locations far faster than it would be possible to deliver via ground vehicles or by boat. Such aerial deliveries, especially in medical emergencies, could be life-saving. In that pilot project, drones were the appropriate tool because the locations were remote and did not involve congested urban airspace.

We’re still quite proud of that project, and you’ll see why here:

 

 

Roll-E’s a smart machine

 

Just as you can’t judge a book by its cover, you can’t judge robotic capabilities from the exterior. Roll-E contains the same brains as our proprietary InDro Commander module. This gives Roll-E the capability to eventually carry out fully autonomous missions, including mapping unfamiliar environments as it travels. Even machine learning and machine vision – where, for example, Roll-E is able to detect and act on the signals at a crosswalk – are all possible within this framework.

For now, though, Roll-E will be operated by a careful and conscientious human being working behind-the-scenes. Roll-E will be loaded inside the store for curbside delivery, then make its way to the appointed pick-up spot. It has a range of about nine kilometres on a single wireless charge, but Roll-E won’t be going far from home during this pilot project.

London Drugs has pulled together a great little Q&A, which you can find it here. If you’d like to see the entire news release, it’s here. (And if you’re really into this, you can check out CTV News coverage of the project.)

 

InDro’s Take

As an R&D company, we take considerable pride in the products we conceive, design and manufacture. It’s no different with Roll-E, which will help London Drugs customers at this particular Victoria location save time on pick-up. We also value our corporate partnerships – so we’re pleased to be taking part in this pilot project. We have a sense that for Roll-E, this is just the beginning.

“London Drugs has a track record of innovation, embracing new technologies that could help with efficiency and customer experience,” says Philip Reece, CEO of InDro Robotics. “We’ve enjoyed great success working with London Drugs and others on our drone trials delivering prescription medications to remote communities. I anticipate that someday in the future, deliveries using robots – whether by air or ground – will be routine.”

If your company might benefit from the use or robots or drones for delivery, inspection, security or data acquisition, don’t be shy. You can reach us here. (And no matter how advanced our technology gets, we’ll always ensure that a real person gets back to you.)

 

 

There’s a new robot in town: Meet LIMO

There’s a new robot in town: Meet LIMO

Mar 29, 2022 | AgileX, Education, InDro News, Scott Simmie

Even in the world of robotics, good things often come in small packages. And this is especially true when it comes to Limo, a new AgileX platform perfect for students and those carrying out R&D work. Limo is small but mighty, with the same kind of technology you’ll find in much larger devices (it weighs but 4.2 kg). The robot runs on the open source Robot Operating System (ROS) software, and comes with both the original ROS1 and ROS2 software libraries. This allows users to customize the robot for different tasks.

It ships with an impressive display of hardware and capabilities right out of the box, including:

  • An NVIDIA Jetson Nano, capable of remote teleoperation over 4G
  • An EAI X2L LiDAR unit
  • Stereo camera

This affordable machine is capable of autonomous missions, including mapping new surroundings via Simultaneous Localisation and Mapping (SLAM). It also comes with multiple modes for locomotion. You’ll see details of this in the left-hand graphic below. It’s also scalable. Want to add other sensors? There are four USB Serial Ports onboard.

This kind of flexibility in a small package is pretty amazing.

LIMO

How Limo came about

 

We were curious to learn more about Limo, so we contacted AgileX’s Brandy Xue. Until recently, Brandy was leading the company’s Global Sales and Marketing department. In March of 2022, she switched to the new AgileX subsidiary, Mammotion Tech – which focuses on consumer outdoor robots like autonomous lawnmowers.

We started with a simple question. Who would be interested in buying Limo? Would it be primarily students? Researchers? Developers?

Her answer was simple: “Limo is for everybody,” she said. She then went on to explain why.

Many students, particularly in Southeast Asia, are now delving into coding, robotics – and even AI – while in high school. It’s been a trend in South Korea, and is being seen more and more in China. In fact, says Xue, the Chinese government has been encouraging hands-on high-tech training in high school to prepare people for the workforce.

“The policies in China supporting robotics education are growing,” she says. “And in South Korea, students are working on AI and Machine Learning in high school.”

 

Not just students

 

So AgileX knew there was an educational market for a product like this. But it also felt that researchers in the R&D world could also benefit from a robot with full-scale capabilities in an affordable, smaller-scale package. Having everything integrated out of the box saves a lot of groundwork. Plus, many smaller companies don’t have the need (or the budget) for a larger machine.

“If they want to build a robot, they have to buy a robot here, a sensor there, then write the code to make it move. It’s too complicated,” she says.

“And most people don’t know what to buy, or don’t know how to write the code at the beginning. So why don’t we do this to make it easier for the developer to build a robot? It’s a really cost-effective solution.”And so they did. It also didn’t hurt that the company’s CEO, JD Wei, ran the impressive Robomaster division at DJI. Annual Robomaster competitions pit robots built by the best and brightest teams of engineers against one another. DJI has also hired a significant number of engineers through the program, which has grown since its inception to become more global in nature.

If you’re unfamiliar with Robomaster, check out the video below. It’s worth watching, as it also gives you a pretty good idea of the background JD Wei came from:

 

Simulation table

 

Because Limo is capable of autonomous movement, it can be purchased with an optional simulation table. That platform approximates a mini-city, complete with buildings, roads, stop signs, traffic lights – even a liftable gate arm, like you’d see at railroad crossings or when exiting a parking lot.

Limo can detect and act on its surroundings and can be programmed to take different actions depending on the environment. It can even use its onboard LiDAR to create a 3D, Virtual SLAM map of what it “sees” around it.

The complete package is covered in this AgileX video, which also highlights its multi-modal locomotion capabilities.

 

Powerful processor and more…

 

Limo comes equipped with enviable brains. It features the NVIDIA Jetson Nano processor for EDGE computing. The Jetson is a powerful tool for AI development, and NVIDIA’s JetPack SDK offers even more options for deep learning, computer vision and more. It’s also 4G-compatible for remote tele-operation.

InDro’s Head of Robotic solutions, Peter King, is impressed with the package – saying it offers students and developers an affordable solution for R&D and prototyping.

“Limo really fills a void in the marketplace, allowing schools, researchers, and even R&D companies with limited budgets access to a truly powerful and expandable platform,” says King.

Limo is also rugged. The body is metal, and the 4.2 kg device is capable of tackling inclines of 25°. You’ll see the rest of the specs here:

AgileX LIMO

Economical

 

Limo, as you can see, can do a lot on its own. And it’s capable of doing much more in the hands of a skilled developer or a motivated student. Given that this SLAM-capable device comes with a LiDAR unit, stereo camera, the NVIDIA Jetson Nano, and an onboard 7″ touchscreen module, you’d rightly expect it to cost a significant amount.

It doesn’t. The Limo is $2900 US in its base, multi-modal form. The simulation table, which offers a head-start for those interested in autonomous operation in a city-like environment, is available for an additional $1,000 US. If you’re interested in seeing Limo, we’re happy to arrange for a remote demonstration. You can reach us here.

 

 

InDro’s Take

 

We’ve always been impressed with the AgileX products. They’re smartly engineered and very well-constructed. Our Sentinel teleoperated inspection robot is built on the AgileX Bunker platform, capable of operating in even the most unforgiving of environments. In a word: AgileX builds great stuff. And the flexible design of its products means many are destined for even greater things.

That doesn’t surprise us, given CEO JD Wei’s background running DJI’s Robomaster program.

“After he left DJI, he founded AgileX Robotics – and he’s always joking to himself,” laughs Xue. “He used to work in a company whose robots fly in the sky. Now he runs a company whose robots run on the road.”

And, with the Limo, in classrooms and R&D labs as well.