InDro completes design, build and delivery of robots for swarm research

InDro completes design, build and delivery of robots for swarm research

Jul 16, 2024 | InDro News, Industry News, Scott Simmie, Swarm Robotics

By Scott Simmie

You’ve likely seen swarm behaviour in nature – or at least video of it.

Flocks of starlings produce incredible patterns known as murmurations, undulating with split-second speed. Certain species of termites build massive and complex mounds, complete with sophisticated ventilation shafts to ensure air exchange and temperature regulation. Some types of fish, when attacked by predators, form tightly whirling balls as a defense mechanism. Bees build complex hives and have specific roles that all contribute to the collective. And ants, as you’re aware, can do a lot more than spoil picnics.

All of these, though very different, are examples of swarm behaviour. No single individual is in charge, yet these creatures work together to great synergic effect.

Below: A starling murmuration at Rigg by Walter Baxter, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

A_starling_murmuration_at_Rigg_

SWARM ROBOTICS

 

It was actually through these observations in nature, particularly of insects, that the concept of swarm robotics first emerged.

“In a robot swarm, the collective behavior of the robots results from local interactions between the robots and between the robots and the environment in which they act… The research of swarm robotics is to study the physical body and the controlling behaviours of robots. It is inspired but not limited by the emergent behaviour observed in social insects, called swarm intelligence. Relatively simple individual rules can produce a large set of complex swarm behaviours. A key component is the communication between the members of the group that build a system of constant feedback. The swarm behaviour involves constant change of individuals in cooperation with others, as well as the behaviour of the whole group,” states this Wikipedia entry.

Much of the early research (and some of the more complex, current research) involves high numbers of very simple robotic devices. But as the field has developed, so too has the size and capabilities of the robots being used in swarm applications and research.

“The idea behind swarm robotics is the robots are able to communicate with each other and thus improve their decision-making and data acquisition in a given environment from a real world application standpoint,” explains Head of R&D Sales Luke Corbeth.

 

THE BOSTON EXAMPLE

 

One InDro client, Boston University, is using a very large fleet of small but smart robots called LIMO in swarm scenarios. One aspect of their research involves how autonomous vehicles interact with each other. Can the robots detect others merging and take appropriate action? How can autonomous vehicles detect and interact with robots that have been programmed to behave as if they’re human-driven vehicles?

Research like this is obviously more practical (and far less costly) to carry out in a lab rather than on city streets. It’s important work as we head toward the Smart Cities of the future, where eventually all vehicles will be autonomous – and much of the current infrastructure (traffic lights, stop signs) will no longer be necessary because all Connected Automated Vehicles will be part of a network.

“These vehicles become nodes in an Internet in which the vehicles talk to each other,” said Christos Cassandras, Distinguished Professor of Engineering, Head of the Division of Systems Engineering, and Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering in an earlier interview with InDro.

“They exchange information and so, ideally cooperatively, they can improve metrics of congestion, of energy, of pollution, of comfort, of safety – perhaps safety being predominant.”

It’s fascinating work, and you can check out our story about it here.

But the ability of swarms to move and collect and share data collaboratively also opens up other use-case scenarios.

“If you are able to team your robots together, obviously you can cover a lot more area in a shorter period of time because the robots are essentially building a map together rather than being dependent on a single robot to build that map. One of the most obvious applications is search and rescue,” says Corbeth.

To illustrate, we borrow this example from research being carried out at Carnegie Mellon University:

INDRO’S CUSTOM SWARM

 

We recently built and shipped four identical custom robots for North Carolina State University’s Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. Corbeth was the conduit, putting together a package that suited their very specific needs. It began with selecting one of our 18 available platforms.

“They chose the Scout Mini, which is far and away our most cost-effective platform. And it’s unique in that it’s capable both indoors, like in their lab, but also for outdoor use,” says Corbeth.

That, of course, was just the start. Each robot was outfitted with the InDro Commander, which tucks a lot of power and flexibility within its IP54-rated enclosure. Commander houses the brains or the robot – which in this case is a very powerful piece of compute. Commander is completely customisable based on client requirements and contains ROS1 and ROS2 folders. (It also enables rapid integration and recognition of multiple sensors, and has the option of shipping with either or both of InDro’s autonomy stacks for outdoor or indoor use – think GPS-denied and SLAM. In this case, the client will be building their own autonomy stack, as that’s part of their research.)

And this client wanted Commander equipped with a powerhouse.

“They upgraded from a Jetson Xavier NX to the AGX Orin Developer Kit. That’s the best-in-class onboard compute you can add to a robot these days,” he adds.

That’s not hyperbole. The AGX contains a 2048-core NVIDIA Ampere architecture GPU with 64 Tensor Cores. Unfamiliar with Tensor Cores? They mean ultra fast AI processing.

“Tensor Cores enable mixed-precision computing, dynamically adapting calculations to accelerate throughput while preserving accuracy and providing enhanced security,” states the NVIDIA website. “The latest generation of Tensor Cores are faster than ever on a broad array of AI and high-performance computing (HPC) tasks. From 4X speedups in training trillion-parameter generative AI models to a 30X increase in inference performance, NVIDIA Tensor Cores accelerate all workloads…”

That AI computer is capable of – wait for it – 275 TOPS, or trillions of operations per second. (Yes, it’s kind of hard to get your head around that.)

 

SENSORS, SENSORS, SENSORS

 

Corbeth worked with the client to outfit each swarm robot with the sensors needed for the job. Starting with the basics, each robot contains two pinhole cameras (one front, one rear) so the operator can remotely see the robot’s eye view using our proprietary dashboard, InDro Controller. For depth perception, we added ZED X stereo cameras which – like human eyes – see the world in three dimensions. These are used for obstacle avoidance (in conjunction with LiDAR, which we’ll get to).

Connectivity is key with any robot. But when it comes to swarm robotics, it’s particularly important to have high-speed, low-latency communication not just with the controller, but between the robots themselves.

“Obviously doing swarm requires 5G connectivity,” says Corbeth. “So there’s a 5G modem in each robot as well as our Wi-Fi development module. In addition to communication between the robots and with InDro Controller, this also means they can program these robots without having to hard-wire into them. In fact, students or researchers could upload algorithms from pretty much any location – they don’t need to be on-site or on the same WiFi network, which has been the traditional route.”

Each robot features GPS and IMU modules, plus a Robosense Helios RS-5515 32-beam LiDAR module. These sense the environment in three dimensions by rapidly scattering and receiving the reflections from eye-safe laser beams. It allows the robot to safely navigate and map in completely unfamiliar and GPS-denied locations, and even carry out precision scans. We recently featured Robosense in this post, detailing how the quality is absolutely on par with the biggest names in the industry. (Selecting Robosense for this project saved the client close to $80,000 without losing any capabilities.)

Outstanding in their field: A look at the InDro-built swarm fleet just prior to shipping to the client

Robot Swarm

INDRO’S TAKE

 

It was a fascinating project to build a small swarm from the ground up for the specific needs of this client. We look forward to checking in with North Carolina State University once the research is fully underway – and will report back to you.

“There’s no doubt that swarm robotics is an important tool, not only in R&D but increasingly in real-world applications,” says InDro Robotics Founder and CEO Philip Reece. “Whether it’s search and rescue, mapping difficult environments at scale, or developing algorithms that will enable Connected Automated Vehicles in the Smart Cities of the future, swarms are synergic tools that produce outcomes far greater than the sum of their parts – and that do so with greater speed and efficiency.”

Interested in exploring options for swarm robotics? Contact Luke Corbeth here.

Robosense sets new bar for affordable, powerful LiDAR sensors

Robosense sets new bar for affordable, powerful LiDAR sensors

Jul 8, 2024 | Autonomy, Case Studies, Robosense LiDAR, Scott Simmie

By Scott Simmie

 

Building or modifying a robot?

Specifically, are you working on something with autonomy that needs to understand an unfamiliar environment? Then you’re likely looking at adding two key sensors: A depth camera and a LiDAR unit.

LiDAR (as most of you likely know), scans the surrounding environment with a continuous barrage of eye-safe laser beams. It measures what’s known as the “Time of Flight” – meaning the time it takes for the photons to be reflected off surrounding surfaces and return to the LiDAR unit. The closer that surface is, the shorter the Time of Flight. LiDARs calculate the time of each of those reflected beams and convert that into distance. Scatter enough of those beams in a short period of time (and LiDARs do), and you get an accurate digital representation of the surrounding environment – even while the robot is moving through it.

This is particularly useful for autonomous missions and especially for Simultaneous Localisation and Mapping, or SLAM. That’s where a LiDAR-equipped robot can be placed in a completely unfamiliar (and even GPS-denied) environment and produce a point-cloud map of its surroundings while avoiding obstacles. Quality LiDARs are also capable of producing 3D precision scans for a wide variety of use-cases.

All great, right? Except for one thing: LiDAR sensors tend to be very expensive. So expensive, they can be out of reach for an R&D team, academic institution or Startup.

There is, however, a solution: Robosense.

The company produces LiDAR sensors (both mechanical and solid-state) that rival the established players in the market. And they do so for about one-third of the cost of the industry heavyweights.

“The performance of Robosense is outstanding – absolutely on par with its main competitors in North America,” says InDro Account Executive Callum Cameron. “We have been integrating Robosense LiDAR on our products for about two years, and their performance is exceptional.”

Below: A fleet of four robots, equipped with Robosense LiDAR, which recently shipped to an academic client.

 

Robosense LiDAR

ROBOSENSE

 

The company might not yet be a household name (unless your household has robots), but as of May 2024 the firm had sold 460,000 LiDAR units. Its sensors power a large number of autonomous cars, delivery vehicles and other robots – and it’s the first company to achieve mass production of automotive-grade LiDAR units with its own in-house developed chip.

The company was founded in 2014, with some A-level engineering talent – and it’s been on a stellar trajectory ever since. One of the reasons is because Robosense produces all three core technologies behind its products: The actual chipsets, the LiDAR hardware, and the perception software. We’ll let the company itself tell you more:

“In 2016, RoboSense began developing its R Platform mechanical LiDAR. One year later, in 2017, we introduced our perception software alongside the automotive-grade M Platform LiDAR sensors tailored for advanced driver assistance and autonomous driving systems. We achieved the start-of-production (SOP) of the M1 in 2021, becoming the world’s first LiDAR company to mass-produce automotive-grade LiDAR equipped with chips developed in-house,” says its website.

The company now has thousands of engineers. And it didn’t take long before the world noticed what they were producing.

“As of May 17, 2024, RoboSense has secured 71 vehicle model design wins and enabled 22 OEMs and Tier 1 customers to start mass production of 25 models. We serve over 2,500 customers in the robotics and other non-automotive industries and are the global LiDAR market leader in cumulative sales volume.”

The company has also received prestigious recognition for its products, including two CES Innovation awards, the Automotive News PACE award, and the Audi Innovation Lab Champion prize.

“This company has standout features, including Field of View, point cloud density and high frame rates,” says Cameron. “If you look at that fleet of four robots we recently built, using the competition those LiDAR units alone would have come to close to $80,000. The Robosense solution cost roughly one-quarter of that with similar capabilities.”

And the factories? State of the art. Though this video focuses on its solid-state LiDAR, Robosense uses the same meticulous process for its mechanical units:

LiDAR FOR EVERY APPLICATION

 

Robosense produces many different LiDAR sensors. But what particularly appeals to us is that the company has (excuse the pun) a laser-like focus on the robotics industry. Its Helios multi-beam LiDAR units have been designed from the ground up for robots and intelligent vehicles. There are customisable fields of view, depending on application, and a near-field blind-spot of ≤ 0.2 metres. In addition, Helios LiDAR comes in 16- and 32-beam options depending on point-cloud density and FOV requirements. Both are capable of functioning in temperatures as low as -40° or on a scorching day in the Sahara desert. There’s also protection against multi-radar interference and strong light (which can be an issue with LiDAR). You can learn more about its features here.

Its Bpearl unit proves that very good things can indeed come in small packages. With a 360° horizontal and 90° vertical hemispherical FOV, it’s been designed for near-field blind spots, capable of detection at ≤10 cm. That’s why we selected it for a robot designed to inspect cycling lanes for hazards (while avoiding cyclists, of course). We actually have two Bpearls on that robot (one on each side), since detecting blind spots and avoiding other obstacles is so critical to this application.

“We’ve integrated both the Bpearl and Helios LiDAR units into multiple different robots and the performance has been excellent, even under adverse conditions,” says Cameron. “Obstacle avoidance has been outstanding, and SLAM missions are a snap.”

Below: This InDro robot features two 32-beam Robosense Bpearl LiDAR units. You can see one of them – that tiny bubble on the side (and there’s another one on the opposite side):

InDro Sentinel

THE THREE “D”s

 

You’ve likely heard this before, but robots are perfect for jobs that are Dirty, Dull or Dangerous – because they remove humans from those scenarios. Robots, particularly inspection robots, are often subjected to extremes in terms of weather and other conditions.

So this is a good place to mention that if a Robosense LiDAR encounters fog, rain, dust or snow it has a de-noising function to ensure it’s still capturing accurate data and that your point cloud isn’t a representation of falling snow. All of the Robosense LiDAR sensors have outstanding Ingress Protection ratings.

Because adverse conditions are quite likely to occur at some point during a robotic mission, Robosense puts its products through absolutely gruelling tests. Hopefully your robot won’t encounter the scenarios seen below, but if it does – the LiDAR will keep working:

INDRO’S TAKE

 

We take pride in putting only the highest quality sensors into our products.

Prior to adopting Robosense as our “go-to” LiDAR about two years ago, we were using big-name products. But those products also came with a big price tag. When we discovered the quality and price of Robosense LiDAR units, it was an obvious choice to make the switch. We have shipped multiple Robosense-enabled robots to clients, saving them thousands of dollars – in one case, tens of thousands – while still capturing every bit of data they require. Robosense is now our go-to, even on our flagship products. (We recently did a demonstration of one of our newer Helios-equipped autonomous quadrupeds to a high-profile client; they were amazed with the results.)

“Robosense is every bit the equal of the heavyweight LiDAR manufacturers, without the downside of the high cost,” says InDro Robotics CEO Philip Reece. “The field-of-view, point cloud density and quality of construction are all state-of-the-art, as are the manufacturing facilities. What’s more, Robosense continues to push the envelope with every new product it releases.”

Interested in learning more, including price and options? Contact Account Executive Callum Cameron right here, and he’ll give you all the info you need.

SkyScout AI offers new solution for wildfire detection, mitigation

SkyScout AI offers new solution for wildfire detection, mitigation

Jun 20, 2024 | Industry News, Scott Simmie, SkyScout Ai, Wildfires

By Scott Simmie

 

We did a quick check, just now, on the current wildfire situation in British Columbia.

Nine wildfires were burning and labelled as “Out of Control” by the BC Wildfire Service. An additional two fires were categorised as “Wildfires of Note.” And we’re still very early in the wildfire season.

Recent years have seen an increase in devastating wildfires – in British Columbia, Alberta, California, Hawaii and elsewhere in North America. A 2014 fire in the Northwest Territories completely destroyed 8.5 million acres (3.44M hectares). There have also been massive wildfires in Portugal, Australia (42 million acres/17M hectares burned in 2019/2020), Russia – and other countries as well.

These examples are indicative of a trend; there’s compelling (and troubling) data to back this up.

“Multiple studies have found that climate change has already led to an increase in wildfire season length, wildfire frequency, and burned area,” says the United States Environmental Protection Agency. “The wildfire season has lengthened in many areas due to factors including warmer springs, longer summer dry seasons, and drier soils and vegetation.”

What’s worse is that major wildfires actually contribute to the likelihood there will be more of them in the future.

“Climate change is one of the major drivers of increasing fire activity,” says the World Resources Institute, which states that “the latest data on forest fires confirms what we’ve long feared: Forest fires are becoming more widespread, burning nearly twice as much tree cover today as they did 20 years ago…

“Extreme heat waves are already 5 times more likely today than they were 150 years ago and are expected to become even more frequent as the planet continues to warm. Hotter temperatures dry out the landscape and help create the perfect environment for larger, more frequent forest fires. This in turn leads to higher emissions from forest fires, further exacerbating climate change and contributing to more fires as part of a “fire-climate feedback loop.”

This is, obviously, concerning. Existing firefighting and fire suppression techniques haven’t changed much over the years – and the threat is growing.

A new Canadian company, SkyScout AI, believes it holds part of the solution. And after seeing a demonstration of some of its capabilities recently in British Columbia, we’re inclined to agree.

Below: SkyScout Ai’s Shawn Bethel prepares a “drone tanker” at a demonstration outside Penticton. Scott Simmie photo

SkyScout AI

SKYSCOUT AI

 

So. What is SkyScout Ai – and what does its solution entail?

It starts with the leadership.

“It’s a company that’s comprised of people who want to make a difference for their communities and trying to save them as climate change drives increase in fire activity,” says Chief Operations Officer and Co-Founder Geoff Griffiths.

We’ll explore some of that shortly. First, though, we asked Griffiths for his elevator pitch.

“We’ve come up with a first-in-class vertically integrated solution that spans satellite and drone early detection. And we have the capability with our drone tanker to not only fight the fire but protect the communities from fire by pre-treating vegetation and housing with our EPA-certified fire inhibitor called Citrotech. So it really is about a fully vertically integrated approach that really focuses on interface fires – those fires that interface with communities and critical infrastructure, that’s really our niche.”

All you have to do is think back to Kelowna last year and the threat posed to the city by wildfires. The McDougall Creek Fire forced the evacuation of West Kelowna and made headlines across the country. Griffiths has seen such fires hit close to home.

“My parents were living in Kelowna during a major wildfire in 2003. Their neighbourhood burned down so it’s always been in the back of my mind – wanting to do something.”

Below: Helping detect and proactively inhibit wildfires also protects wildlife. Scott Simmie photo

SkyScout Ai

HOW IT WORKS

 

The SkyScout Ai system integrates multiple components that collectively can – as the company states – “Detect, respond, protect.” And there’s a lot of technology at play to make that happen.

Though the startup is at the demonstration stage, here’s how the fully integrated system will work.

Let’s take the city of Kelowna as an example. In a long-term, proactive scenario, SkyScout Ai would place multiple permanent drone docks at several locations around the city. Those weather-resistant docks would contain drones with high-resolution thermal sensors. They’re simply sitting, with the drones fully charged, waiting for a signal.

That signal could come, automatically, from satellite data. Satellites are capable of detecting thermal hotspots and lightning strikes. So, in this example, let’s say a lightning strike is detected near Kelowna. That data and GPS location is instantly relayed, via SkyScout Ai’s software, to one or more of the thermal drones. The docks open and the drones launch, headed to the area of interest.

If the drones pick up a thermal signature – a fire – that information can, in turn, be relayed immediately to First Responders. So a fire crew might be quickly dispatched. Because this early warning system can detect so quickly, that crew will have a much better chance of extinguishing a fledgling fire.

But, as we all know, fires can spread tremendously fast. And that’s where SkyScout Ai has some other options to help protect valuable assets. Those options include what the company calls “tanker drones” and a very unique product called Citrotech. It’s a food-grade fire inhibitor that can prevent ignition (and which we’ve seen in action).

If it’s still a small fire, a tanker drone carrying Citrotech could be dispatched to extinguish the fire by aerosolising that compound over the site. But don’t start thinking this has the power of a water bomber – it doesn’t (though the company envisions larger drone tankers in its future).

Rather, a drone carrying Citrotech on board has the capability to protect infrastructure at that wildfire-urban interface point. The tanker can quickly spray the roofs of multiple homes or other structures requiring protecting. The product dries quickly and crystallises. Once applied, it is nearly impossible for that protected surface to ignite – even if that roof gets coated with burning embers (a common way houses are ignited during wildfires). Citrotech could also be sprayed on dry vegetation near those structures, effectively creating a firebreak.

“Citrotech modifies the material its on at a molecular level and has extremely high efficacy when it’s dry,” explains Chief Commercial Officer and Co-Founder Shawn Bethel. “So it coats combustible vegetation and really just inhibits the ability of combustible vegetation to combust. You can’t get it to ignite.”

Bethel knows what he’s talking about when it comes to wildfires. He’s the former BC Provincial Fire Control Officer – who was responsible for all of BC’s firefighting resources out of the Provincial Wildfire Operations Centre. His bio on the SkyScout Ai website says “He brings 25+ years of operational wildland fire management experience including senior roles on incident command teams and aerial firefighting asset management. Shawn also brings an additional 15+ years working in the private sector spearheading global business operations with technology services companies providing wildfire mitigation solutions and fire aviation services.”

So Bethel obviously has deep expertise in wildfires, including all available suppression technologies.

“SkyScout Ai is pushing to protect the wildland-urban interface from new fires starting from ember transfers and lightning strikes,” he says. “When it’s applied in advance of anticipated new wildfire activity, it has time to dry – which is easy to do during drought wildfire weather conditions – and essentially stops fire in its tracks.”

Again – this is not a solution to extinguish a massive raging fire. But it definitely is capable of stopping small fires from becoming larger, and protecting homes, vineyards, orchards and critical infrastructure from igniting.

“This is not for Rank 6 conflagration fires. What this is for inception fires, combustible vegetation near homes, near assets, and for infrastructure and roadways. Citrotech is an excellent fire inhibiting product.”

Below: Shawn Bethel, followed by a DJI Agras T-40 during a SkyScout Ai demonstration. The company envisions larger “drone tankers” in its future. Scott Simmie photos

 

Shawn Bethel SkyScout Ai
SkyScout AI Penticton

SKYSCOUT Ai IN ACTION

 

At the end of May, 2024, SkyScout Ai brought its mobile Command Centre to a location outside Penticton, where vineyards – also highly vulnerable to wildfire – pepper the lush hills of the Okanogan Valley. That command centre (the first of many planned) contained a dock for a thermal drone, a massive spraying drone (in this case, a DJI Agras T-40), Citrotech and a control centre for the pilot(s) who will monitor autonomous operations and manually fly the tanker drone when necessary. That Command Centre, btw, is towed on a trailer. But it has been designed to quickly detach and the entire operation can be lifted by helicopter to any location where it’s required.

SkyScout Ai came to test its technology in advance of forthcoming demonstrations for the media, First Responders and other decision makers.

During testing, a small fire was set using a small fire starter brick placed on a stone. A thermal drone with RTK positioning was dispatched to locate the hotspot. In a full demo, that data and GPS location would be  automatically forwarded to First Responders or a tanker drone which would head to that spot to dispense Citrotech (which can not only inhibit, but also extinguish).

That was impressive. But there were two real show-stoppers.

In the first, a pile of dry tumbleweeds were treated with Citrotech by spraying a fine mist on them (this was done manually, but could easily be done by the tanker drone). Thirty minutes later, a pile of untreated tumbleweeds was placed directly adjacent to the treated section. Then Bethel ignited the untreated pile with a blow torch. Within seconds, flames were shooting about two metres in the air. The burn was rapidly spreading.

And when it hit the treated tumbleweed? It stopped dead. Nothing burned.

 

DRONE TANKER

 

In the second exercise, the drone tanker was filled with water. Two piles of tumbleweeds (one treated, one untreated) were again placed in a pile. The tumbleweeds were ignited and the Agras took off. From a distance of about four metres AGL, the spraying function was engaged. The blaze was extinguished in mere seconds.

So with near real-time detection using satellites and thermal drones, a tanker (or other First Responder, depending on the threat) could be dispatched literally within minutes of a lightning strike. And if that fire appeared to be growing and potentially threatening homes, vineyards, or other important infrastructure, the tanker could quickly coat these with Citrotech. Because it’s EPA-approved and food-safe, there’s no issue with spraying crops like grapes, cherries, etc. You could literally drink a glass of this stuff and be fine (though we didn’t try that).

Below: Shawn Bethel prepares to manually treat some dry brush with Citrotech

SkyScout AI Penticton Shawn Bethel

BUSINESS MODEL

 

Though the Citrotech is important, a key part of the value proposition is in the early detection and location of fires. The earlier a fire is detected, the better the odds of mitigation before it can get out of control.

Here, SkyScout Ai has the advantage of integrating that satellite data directly into its software – which can then trigger an immediate launch of one or multiple thermal drones. With RTK positioning, they can get a precise bead on the trouble spot – and send back not only thermal images but also high resolution photos/imagery that can be shared with First Responders. Depending on the size of the conflagration and location, a tanker drone can also be dispatched.

So the primary business model would be to have a contracts with cities adjacent to forests. The docks with thermal drones would be installed at strategic locations as the first line of defense, with a tanker drone on standby. There’s also the option, as mentioned, to lift the entire command centre by helicopter to a location where it’s urgently needed.

 

CITROTECH

 

The fire inhibitor, of course, could be dispensed by drone in the above scenario. But SkyScout Ai has an exclusive distribution contract for Citrotech’s product (known as Mighty Fire Breaker MFB-31) for all of Canada. It has plans to sell the product to individuals or companies that would like to have it handy for the ability to treat their buildings or property in advance of a threat. (Citrotech washes off in the rain, but there’s generally not much rain happening during the drought-like conditions that generally precede major wildfires. When sprayed prior to painting or staining, it remains effective.) So this product is definitely part of the equation.

“The secret sauce also is the addition of citrotech,” says Geoff Griffiths. “That fire inhibitor is the only fire inhibitor certified by the EPA in the US. It’s a non-toxic option that hasn’t existed before, and as you can see by our demonstration is highly effective.”

Griffiths says the timing for the SkyScout Ai solution is perfect.

“Obviously climate change is driving a lot of the wildfire activity that we’re seeing across the world. And regulators, government, private industry now realize that the standard ways they’ve approached wildfires in the past aren’t working or maybe aren’t good enough anymore. They’re open to new approaches. Add in the drone technology, satellite detection, and it’s a critical extra step in the evolution of a solution.”

Below: SkyScout Ai’s first Mobile Command Centre. The entire unit can be quickly detached from its trailer and transported by helicopter to remote locations. Image two: InDro’s Dr. Eric Saczuk prepares a DJI Agras T-40 for flight. Scott Simmie photos

 

SkyScout AI Penticton
SkyScout Ai Eric Saczuk

INDRO’S TAKE

 

We’ve been involved with wildfire operations in the past. In Kelowna last year, we were called upon to help detect hotspots indicating subterranean combustion at a landfill. Locating and extinguishing hotspots like these (or burning tree roots – which can burn for weeks and reignite new fires), are also a critical part of wildfire suppression.

When SkyScout Ai was being formed, InDro Robotics was involved.

“We’re assisting with technology on the drone side of things,” says InDro Robotics CEO Philip Reece.

“We’re providing pilots and other technical support. For example, we’re putting our InDro Command module onto the drones. This enables not only Command and Control via 5G and dense data throughput, but also the integration of all of the drone data into the SkyScout Ai dashboard. As the company grows and Transport Canada regulations change, we anticipate assisting with the R&D required for much larger tanker drones…

“Wildfires can be devastating and the models unfortunately predict will only get worse. We’re proud to be assisting with Scout Ai’s innovative solution.”

You can learn more about Scout Ai right here.

The new InDro Cortex: Amazing power in a tiny package

The new InDro Cortex: Amazing power in a tiny package

Jun 19, 2024 | InDro Autonomy, InDro Controller, InDro Cortex, InDro News, Scott Simmie

By Scott Simmie

 

The InDro Robotics engineering team, as always, has been hard at work. And we’re particularly pleased with our latest R&D breakthrough: The InDro command module, which we’ve named InDro Cortex.

It’s a small but exceedingly powerful box that will immediately enable robotic platforms to reach the next level. It’s robot-agnostic, meaning you can integrate Cortex with any ROS-based robot (which is pretty much all of them).

And what can it do?

A better question might be: What can’t it do? And the answer there is “not much.”

Below: An InDro Robotics Cortex mounted on a Unitree B2 quadruped. Cortex enables remote teleoperations, autonomous missions – and much more…

InDro Control Module ICM

BACKGROUND

 

There’s some important history here – which also tells you something about the InDro Robotics ethos.

In November of 2021, we released a very popular product. InDro Commander was developed in response to the needs of clients who wanted to be able to quickly turn a platform into a smart, easily customisable robot capable of teleoperation over 4G or 5G. From developers and academics through to large technology companies, our clients had been requesting such a solution. In fact, even in the development of our own products we identified the need for an all-in-one solution to speed robot integration and enable teleoperation.

“Our engineering team came up with the concept of the InDro Commander after integrating and customizing our own robots,” said Philip Reece, CEO of InDro Robotics, when the product was launched. “We realized there were hurdles common to all of them – so we designed and produced a solution. Commander vastly simplifies turning a platform into a fully functioning, teleoperated robot.”

Commander, as this webpage explains, “is designed to allow developers to quickly customize their own robotic solution. The following are common additions that can be easily added to any Commander-controlled robotic system: LiDAR (2D/3D), PTZ camera, thermal cameras, wireless charging, IMU, RTK.”

Commander, quite simply, takes the pain out of integration.

And how does it do that? Well, it ships with a powerful EDGE computer pre-loaded with ROS1 and ROS2 folders. It also contains multiple USB ports, allowing for the instant addition (and recognition of) pretty much any sensor you can throw at it. It allowed clients who were previously spending a ton of time on integration to simply attach Commander to the robot’s power supply, start plugging in sensors, and then remotely operate via a secure dashboard.

When it was first released, Engineering Lead Arron Griffiths dubbed it “ROS-in-a-Box.” We later changed that to Commander, but here’s the splashy video released at the time in advance of the big IROS show, where Commander made its debut:

SMARTER, FASTER, SMALLER

 

At InDro, we have a motto of “Invent, Enhance, Deploy.” But deployment doesn’t mean we rest on our laurels. InDro’s engineers continuously look at ways to enhance existing products. And that’s exactly what we’ve done with Commander. We asked ourselves: How could we make this even better?

“InDro Cortex grew out of the idea of making a general purpose backpack/module that any OEM could put on their motorized product – everything from a ground robot to even a golf cart, drone, car, truck or RC platform,” says Engineering Lead Arron Griffiths. “That single module makes any platform ROS-enabled, AI-ready and 5G connected.”

A lot of work went into this. One of the biggest tasks was designing and developing four new boards that pack a lot of AI compute power (and other features) into a tiny space. There are separate boards for EDGE computing, teleoperation data transfer, and sensor integration. There’s also a separate WiFi system.

“And of course, it can run on either a public or private 5G network,” says InDro Vice President Peter King.

And did we say size matters? The small size of Cortex means it can be placed on virtually any robot – from the smallest quadruped to the largest AMR. It can even be fitted to a drone.

“It’s tiny so it fits on everything. So basically we can turn any platform into a very powerful robot without all the time and hassle,” adds King.

Below: Much of the magic of InDro Cortex lies in the design, development and testing of four new circuit boards:

InDro Control Module ICM

AUTONOMY AND INDRO CONTROLLER

 

InDro Cortex is a powerful solution on its own. But pairing it with our new InDro Controller provides incredible synergy.

We just wrote a fairly comprehensive post about InDro Controller, so if you’d like more details you can check this out. But in a nutshell, InDro Controller is a powerful desktop UI for operating any robot. With a highly secure data connection, InDro Controller automatically senses all key parameters of any robotic device. It will automatically detect any sensors, providing a data feed from all of them with minimal latency.

“It can handle all sorts of data,” says Front-End Developer RJ Bundy. “It doesn’t matter if the robot has standard or custom sensors, InDro Controller can automatically detect and visualize them. For example, if you added a radar unit to an existing robot, the system will pick up on that immediately.”

InDro Controller provides the operator with a highly customisable dashboard for carrying out complex missions. It will also keep track of any missions manually carried out, and make them repeatable as autonomous missions.

And that autonomy? InDro has created two different autonomy software stacks. One is for outdoor missions that rely on GPS; the second is for indoor missions like SLAM in GPS-denied environments. That software comes with InDro Controller – and is also loaded onto the module. So the two key elements of this system – InDro Controller and InDro Cortex – have been made to operate seamlessly together.

“Anyone should be able to configure and control Cortex for their product, and indeed, their solution,” says Griffiths.

Below: A look at the powerful InDro Controller UI dashboard. The Controller software has been created to be an ideal match for InDro Cortex and is easy to operate.

Teleoperations with Robots

INDRO’S TAKE

 

We’re extraordinarily proud of the work our engineering team has put into Cortex – as well as InDro Controller. We believe these two, in combination, set a new bar for both robot integration and complex remote teleoperations.

“The design and creation of the boards used in Cortex was a significant technical challenge – and a significant achievement. The same can be said of our two new autonomy stacks,” says InDro Robotics CEO Philip Reece.

“Whether it’s a ground robot, a drone, or some other device that requires high processing power and minimal latency with all the features enabled by ROS, Cortex allows developers to quickly transform virtually any platform into a powerful autonomous robot with minimal effort.”

Interested in learning more? Of course you are. Contact our Head of R&D Sales, Luke Corbeth, right here.

 

 

New InDro Controller: A simple solution to complex robotics missions

New InDro Controller: A simple solution to complex robotics missions

Jun 12, 2024 | InDro Autonomy, InDro Controller, InDro News, Robotics, Scott Simmie

By Scott Simmie

 

InDro Robotics – as always – has been hard at work on innovative new products. And we’re particularly proud of our latest accomplishment: The InDro Controller.

It’s an all-in-one solution for operating virtually any type of robot from a highly secure console. It’s completely robot-agnostic, very easy to use – and exceedingly powerful. We’ll get into the details as we go, but first let’s hear from Front End Developer RJ Bundy with an elevator pitch.

“It’s an all-in-one data visualization, robot management and robot control software,” he says. “Whether you’re a student first learning how to use a robot or you’re a commercial giant, you’d be able to manage and maintain all of your robots.”

He’s not exaggerating. We walked through a demo of this system recently, with Head of R&D Sales Luke Corbeth at the controls and Bundy explaining the various features. We connected remotely with one of our InDro robots. The software immediately detected all of the sensors on the platform, offering up a display of windows showing the data they were collecting with minimal latency.

“It can handle all sorts of data,” says Bundy. “It doesn’t matter if the robot has standard or custom sensors, InDro Controller can automatically detect and visualize them. For example, if you added a radar unit to an existing robot, the system will pick up on that immediately.”

Of course, it has teleoperation. Missions can be run manually or autonomously (with InDro’s autonomy stack loaded onto any ROS-based robot).

“We have a GPS-based autonomy – which is better for outdoors – and then we have a SLAM- (Simultaneous Localisation and Mapping) based autonomy which is ideal for indoors,” says Corbeth.

And while InDro Controller has very complex capabilities, it’s a snap to use.

“Once it’s set up, it’s pretty straightforward to initiate the mission. Even someone without any robotics knowledge could do it,” he adds.

Below: The Pilot View mode in InDro Controller. Data from any desired sensors is displayed with minimal latency via a highly secure connection.

Teleoperations

HIGHLY SECURE

 

Regardless of whether you’re a startup, researcher, or a major corporation collecting sensitive data – security is important. InDro Controller has been built with that in mind.

“We’ve created an interface that makes it very hard for a third party to intercept any of those commands or the data coming from the robot to you.”

Though the person controlling the robot is the primary login, others with a secure login can also monitor the missions remotely from anywhere in the world. The software can store as many repeatable missions as you can throw at it, and you can initiate a previously stored mission with a single click.

 

MISSION PLANNING

 

Mission planning could not be simpler.

For the first mission, the pilot would manually control the robot. InDro Controller uses an Xbox controller plugged into your computer for intuitive operation (though other options are available). All buttons on the Xbox device can be quickly mapped to carry out specific functions.

InDro Controller tracks everything you’ve done – and we mean everything – and saves it as a repeatable autonomous mission.

“If you manually drive the robot somewhere, it will remember it’s been there and it’ll be able to go back, follow that same path every time. It will also remember to carry out any specific actions you’ve taken at those points of interest, including camera angles, zoom, etc.” says Bundy.

The mission planner also automatically loads a map to locate your robot (you also have the option of satellite view), so you can monitor exactly where it is on any given mission.

And, of course, it can do this for an entire fleet of robots.

Below: InDro Controller shows Points of Interest – which can be repeated with saved missions

Robot Teleoperation

HIGHLY CUSTOMISABLE

 

InDro Controller has been designed to allow users to easily customise the user interface for any robot, any mission, and any dashboard view. Multiple streams of data, including upload and download speeds, battery levels and overall robot health are available at a glance. Oh, and did we mention it also works with third-party autonomy stacks?

“The dashboard, the cameras, the heads up display on the autonomous missions – those all can be customised,” says Bundy. “We’re also adding other personal user customisations, like a light and dark mode, metric conversion, schedule missions – all the kinds of features you could want.”

InDro Controller already works exceptionally well. But – as with all of our R&D projects – it will continually be refined with additional features and functionality.

“We’re heavily invested in continuously improving the software,” says Corbeth. “So regardless of which version you’re shipped, know that this is something that InDro Robotics is constantly developing and improving with client feedback in mind to ultimately provide the best mission planning, teleoperations and development software tool in the robotics industry.”

Speaking of versions, there’s a simpler version of InDro Controller – which does not have the autonomy features – already being used for missions in the academic world. Feedback has been excellent.

“Users tell us they find it InDro Controller Lite exceedingly powerful, but also very simple to use. That was exactly our goal in developing this product,” says Corbeth.

Academics and corporate innovation groups could take advantage of the Lite version, while the InDustrial package is intended for solving more complex problems in an industrial environment

 

SATISFYING R&D

 

For Front End Developer Bundy, who oversaw this project with support from other engineering staff, it’s been a hugely satisfying – and challenging – project.

“A lot of the customization features were pretty difficult because it has to be robust and dynamic, which is always tough,” he says. “This is a relatively complicated application and I’ve managed to put together something pretty nice and functional – and it will only get better. “I’ve had a bunch of other help, but putting together the UI for InDro Controller has been, and continues to be, highly satisfying.”

Teleoperating Robots

INDRO’S TAKE

 

We’re obviously excited about InDro Controller. And we’re particularly excited because we have a forthcoming piece of hardware – the InDro Module. It’s a small box with a lot of brains that can be added to any robot to increase functionality and enable the seamless addition of sensors and other modifications (as well as pre-loaded autonomy stack and ROS drivers). We’ll have more on that soon, but it’s the perfect match for InDro Controller for users with complex requirements.

For the moment, we’re looking forward to putting both the Lite and InDustrial versions into the hands of clients.

“When we first began remote teleoperation several years ago, we relied on third-party software as the UI,” says InDro Robotics CEO Philip Reece. “But we found it wasn’t powerful or customisable enough for our needs. It also required that we have our own autonomy stack – and we did – but many clients do not. InDro Controller comes with our proprietary autonomy stacks for both outdoor and GPS-denied locations. And, as noted previously, this is a long-term project, where even early adopters can be assured the package will be continuously refined with additional features.”

Word has already been spreading in the R&D and commercial fields about this product, and the feedback from those using the Lite version has been outstanding. Interested in learning more or seeing a demo? Contact Luke Corbeth here.

New TC Advisory Circular contains guidance for night BVLOS flight – and much more

New TC Advisory Circular contains guidance for night BVLOS flight – and much more

Jun 7, 2024 | Education and Training, Industry News, Kate Klassen, Scott Simmie, Transport Canada

By Scott Simmie

 

A new Advisory Circular from Transport Canada is generating a lot of buzz in Canada’s RPAS world.

Although an Advisory Circular is not legislation, they offer guidance and a glimpse of what the regulator is planning for the future.

“Advisory circulars are one of the methods that Transport Canada can use to provide guidance on complying with regulations,” explains Kate Klassen, Training and Regulatory Specialist at InDro Robotics. Klassen is an instructor and pilot of traditional aircraft as well as drones. Her online courses have trained more than 10,000 RPAS pilots in Canada. She has also served as Co-Chair of the Canadian Drone Advisory Committee, or CanaDAC.

“It kind of acts like a preview, foreshadowing in a way the regulations we know are coming later this fall. This one in particular is exciting because of the depth of guidance that they’ve provided,” she says.

Here’s how Transport Canada describes the purpose of the Advisory Circular – entitled Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems Operational Risk Assessment – in its introduction:

“This Advisory Circular (AC) is provided for information and guidance purposes. It describes an example of an acceptable means, but not the only means, of demonstrating compliance with regulations and standards. This AC on its own does not change, create, amend or permit deviations from regulatory requirements, nor does it establish minimum standards.

“This AC provides information and guidance to manufacturers and operators intending to develop or operate a Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS) for operations in accordance with the requirements of Part IX, Subpart 3 of the Canadian Aviation Regulations (CARs).”

The document itself is 131 pages, and a lot of it is dense and laden with acronyms. But for operators planning complex operations down the road – including the potential of flying BVLOS at night – the highly detailed guidance offered in the document is a gold mine. It goes into extraordinarily fine detail about carrying out Risk Assessment in a variety of scenarios.

Below: Screengrab from InDro research into urban wind tunnels being carried out for the National Research Council. This was a highly complex operation involving a heavier drone in a dense urban setting and required a Special Flight Operations Certificate. The new Advisory Circular helps spell out precisely what TC is looking for from operators to ensure safe operations in multiple scenarios

 

 

NRC Urban Wind Tunnel Eric

RISK ASSESSMENT AND SFOCs

 

Back in the early days of drones, pretty much every flight required special permission – an SFOC – from Transport Canada. As drone technology and reliability/robustness improved and the regulator collaborated with the industry, detailed regulations for RPAS were first issued in 2019.

That change meant what we could generally term as routine, low-risk flights with drones weighing up to 25 kilograms could be carried out without an SFOC, providing the operator met all criteria laid out in the Canadian Aviation Regulations, Part IX. That included requirements that the operator have a Basic or Advanced RPAS Certificate to operate small RPAS. TC also established its drone portal, where compliant drones weighing more than 250 grams are registered and assigned a number by the regulator. All of this was, in general, very good news for the RPAS industry.

But for those more complicated operations – generally meaning operations with greater risk – an SFOC was still required to satisfy Transport Canada that the operation could be carried out safely. Specifically, as the AC points out, SFOCs were (and are) still required in these circumstances:

“No person shall conduct any of the following operations using a remotely piloted aircraft system that includes a remotely piloted aircraft having a maximum take-off weight of 250 g (0.55 pounds) or more unless the person complies with the provisions of a special flight operations certificate — RPAS issued by the Minister under section 903.03:

(a)  the operation of a system that includes a remotely piloted aircraft having a maximum take-off weight of more than 25 kg (55 pounds);

(b)  the operation of a system beyond visual line-of sight, as referred to in subsection 901.11(2);

(c)  the operation of a system by a foreign operator or pilot who has been authorized to operate remotely piloted aircraft systems by the foreign state;

(d)  the operation of a remotely piloted aircraft at an altitude greater than those referred to in subsection 901.25(1), unless the operation at a greater altitude is authorized under subsection 901.71(2);

(e)  the operation of more than five remotely piloted aircraft at a time from a single control station, as referred to in subsection 901.40(2);

(f)  the operation of a system at a special aviation event or at an advertised event, as referred to in section 901.41;

(g)  the operation of a system when the aircraft is transporting any of the payloads referred to in subsection 901.43(1);

(h)  the operation of a remotely piloted aircraft within three nautical miles of an aerodrome operated under the authority of the Minister of National Defence, as referred to in subsection 901.47(3); and

(i)  any other operation of a system for which the Minister determines that a special flight operations certificate — RPAS is necessary to ensure aviation safety or the safety of any person.”

“In order to be issued an SFOC – RPAS, an operator must submit an application to the Minister as detailed in CAR 903.02. In particular, CAR 903.02 (p) indicates that in addition to the specific information required by 903.02 (a) through (o), the operator must submit “any other information requested by the Minister pertinent to the safe conduct of the operation”. For certain complex operations, as determined during the application process, an Operational Risk Assessment (ORA), acceptable to the Minister, is one of the items of ‘other information’ required in support of an application for an SFOC – RPAS.”

It’s that last paragraph that’s particularly relevant to this Advisory Circular.

 

COMPLEX PROCESS

 

The issue, as many operators discovered, was that applying for an SFOC wasn’t a slam-dunk. It’s not uncommon for TC to come back – sometimes more than once – asking for more details or requesting additional steps or precautions. This slowed the approval process, which was frustrating for operators. Some conveyed to regulators that there wasn’t enough clear guidance to ensure operators were meeting TC’s detailed expectations.

“So it made the SFOC application process for those more complex operations challenging as both parties were trying to sort out what the requirements needed to be to keep things safe,” explains Klassen.

The new Advisory Circular spells out, in detail, precisely what Transport Canada is looking for from operators. It contains multiple protocols, including the fine details of carrying out standardized risk assessments, that will be of benefit to all operators – even in cases where an SFOC is not required. Klassen believes the new document is the direct result of discussions between operators and TC. In addition to making complex operations safer, it provides all the fine print to assist operators in getting everything right the first time with SFOC applications.

“This Advisory Circular, I think, is a result of all of the back-and-forths between those RPAS operators who have been pursuing the boundary-pushing applications, and Transport Canada. TC has been able to accumulate all of that guidance in one location so that the process is streamlined.”

We’ll hit on a few highlights – including BVLOS at night – but the document is so thorough and dense that we’ll link so that operators can download and study it themselves. The Advisory Circular is so detailed that it’s not easy to synopsise, as you’ll gather from the following table of contents. (Don’t worry if some of the acronyms are unfamiliar; there’s an extensive glossary):

TC Advisory Circular
TC Advisory Circular
TC Advisory Circular

WHAT’S NEW

 

This is actually a revision to a previously published Advisory Circular. Because it contains so much information, TC thoughtfully provided a round-up of what’s new – and there’s quite a bit that is.

It contains the following changes to definitions:

  1. Airport / Heliport Environment was renamed Aerodrome Environment and a 3000 ft (915 m) AGL maximum altitude provision was added.
  2. (ii)  The Atypical Airspace infrastructure masking provision was clarified, and a low altitude night provision was added. (We’ve bolded this because it’s kind of a big deal, and we’ll get to it.)
  3. (iii)  Operating Weight definition was added to support changes to ground risk assessment.

In addition, ground risk assessment now relies on the weight of the drone rather than a kinetic energy calculation. Thresholds are now based on the most recently available population density numbers, rather than just a description of the area.

All ground risk scores now assume BVLOS operations; if you are carrying out a VLOS operation that is included as a mitigating factor.

There’s more, of course. But the most attention-grabbing line from above is the provision for low-altitude BVLOS at night. This will obviously require a risk assessment and SFOC, but it’s expected this will be included in legislation anticipated this fall (Canada Gazette 2). And that opens a lot of doors for operators.

“You could fly BVLOS along power lines, transmission lines because there’s not going to be an aircraft within 100 feet vertically of that. You could also carry out deliveries at night, pending airspace,” says Klassen.

It’s also worth noting that Transport Canada had previously indicated that routine, low-risk BVLOS flights will be permitted in the forthcoming regulatory amendments. An additional level of Transport Canada pilot certification will be required for such flights.

Below: With a satisfactory risk assessment and an SFOC, drones like this might be flying BVLOS missions at night when updated regulations are released sometime in the fall of 2024

 

HIGHLIGHTS

 

When Kate Klassen went through the AC, she was impressed with the extraordinary level of detail. Every step of risk assessment and mitigation is thoroughly described, with examples in the appendices.

Many operators will be familiar with risk assessment tools. But there will also be many, particularly those who currently carry out very basic, non-complex operations, who might know the acronyms but little beyond them. This is very much a “how-to” document.

An Operational Risk Assessment (ORA) is a very methodical process – once you know the method. And here, TC outlines the specific steps laid out by the JARUS (Joint Authorities for Rulemaking on Unmanned Systems) SORA (Specific Operations Risk Assessment) process. (There are some minor tweaks here, which are explained, to optimize this for the Canadian environment.)

The AC walks you through every step of the process, and includes graphics. The document takes a much deeper dive than this overview, with each phase of risk assessment explored in detail. This, however, gives you a glimpse:

TC Advisory Circular JARUS SORA

OPERATIONAL VOLUME

 

The document also defines something critical for any risk assessment – what it calls the “Operational Volume.” This involves calculating boundaries beyond the planned flight operations for safety/mitigation/contingency purposes.

Here’s how the Circular defines it:

TC Advisory Circular Operational Volume

“ATYPICAL AIRSPACE”

 

One of the things that caught Klassen’s keen eye was the definition of Atypical Airspace. Here’s the wording from the Advisory Circular:

  1. (i)  Restricted Airspace, with authorization from the person specified in the Designated Airspace Handbook TP1820 or in a NOTAM.
  2. (ii)  Northern Domestic Airspace as defined in the Designated Airspace Handbook, outside an Aerodrome Environment, at a maximum altitude of 400 ft (122 m) AGL.
  3. (iii)  Within 100 feet (30 m) above and within 200 feet (61 m) horizontally from any building or structure which stands out vertically beyond the adjacent surface of surrounding terrain with sufficient size and shape to be noticeable to the pilot of a traditional aircraft in flight.
  4. (iv)  Within the hours of legal night, in uncontrolled airspace outside of an Aerodrome Environment, at a maximum altitude of 400 ft (122 m) AGL.

Why is this extension to the definition of Atypical Airspace (AA) exciting? When an operation takes place in AA, the Air Risk Class is automatically assigned as “a” (ARC-a). This lowers the relative SAIL, depending on your Ground Risk Class, and therefore the requirements to meet the operational safety objectives are simpler. It will give you a much easier time applying for and obtaining your SFOC due in major part to the Detect and Avoid options available to you to use.

Below: With adequate lighting (and more safety precautions), operating at night provides some interesting BVLOS opportunities!

 

INDRO’S TAKE

 

Transport Canada’s new Advisory Circular is an important, detailed, and well thought-out document. Yet again, TC is attempting to make things easier for professional operators while striking that critical balance of safety – both in the air and on the ground.

“The past decade has seen both tremendous advances in the reliability and safety of drones, and – after some initial resistance in the early days – tremendous willingness on the part of Transport Canada to safely open up new opportunities for the industry at large,” says InDro Robotics CEO Philip Reece.

“The level of detail in the Advisory’s extensive sections on Risk Assessment will be of great benefit to operators – and to the safe expansion of the industry into other use-cases, including BVLOS flights at night. We commend those at Transport Canada for both the vision and thought put into this document, and look forward to the new regulatory changes.”

You can download the Advisory Circular here.