InDro and partners advance AED drone delivery research

InDro and partners advance AED drone delivery research

Aug 18, 2025 | Drones for good, In the media, InDro News

By Scott Simmie

 

When someone goes into cardiac arrest, literally every second counts.

The chances of survival drop by between seven and 10 per cent for each minute that passes between the event and resuscitation. So getting an Automated External Defibrillator to the scene as quickly as possible can, literally, mean the difference between life and death.

Back in 2018, InDro partnered with the County of Renfrew Paramedic Service and Dr. Sheldon Cheskes, Affiliate scientist, Evaluative Clinical Sciences, in the Schulich Heart Research Program at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, to carry out field research that compares the speed of delivering an AED via drone versus ground-based EMS. We have also worked with Peel Regional Paramedic Services on these trials.

Research was well underway, with multiple successful trials, when the pandemic hit and the project was paused. It has now resumed, and was recently featured in this news article.

Below: A video showing one of our test trials, where we lowered an AED kit at a precise location via winch

THE BENEFITS

 

The benefits are clear: The faster you can get an AED to a cardiac arrest victim, the more likely they are to survive. In multiple trials we worked with the County of Renfrew Paramedic Service to compare the speed of drone delivery with that of ground-based EMS. A simulated emergency call was placed, and the paramedics hit the road at speed. At the same time, we dispatched a drone carrying an AED.

The drone was faster – as it can head directly to the scene as the crow flies. This is particularly important in rural and remote settings, where roads only rarely present a direct route to the target destination.

In fact, Dr, Sheldon Cheskes and colleagues have been carrying out research to determine the feasibility of AED delivery by drone and have published papers in peer-reviewed journals.

In a 2020 research paper published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, they wrote about the results of six simulations in two rural areas. In one of those tests, the distance ground EMS had to travel was 20 kilometres, versus nine kilometres for the drone.

“During each flight, the AED drone arrived on scene before the ambulance, between 1.8 and 8.0 minutes faster,” they wrote. “This study suggests AED drone delivery is feasible, with the potential for improvements in response time during simulated sudden cardiac arrest scenarios.”

 

THE CHALLENGES

 

Getting the drone to the precise location is no problem. In fact, a 911 call contains the coordinates where the drone must be dispatched to – and that data can be automatically integrated into our flight planning software.

But because speed is of the essence, the research is also exploring how to most quickly get the AED from the drone into the hands of those awaiting the device on the ground. Is it faster to land the drone? Drop the device in a well-padded enclosure from a low height? Land and disarm the drone?

Then there’s the issue of instructing the Good Samaritans on the ground on how to effectively use the AED. In one of our trials, a cellphone was included with the AED. That cellphone was preset to a live video call with a First Responder. The moment someone opened the package, there was a professional on the other end who could offer instructions.

Below: Television coverage of when InDro first began exploring drone delivery of AED – all the way back in 2014

 

INDRO’S TAKE

 

As you just saw, we actually explored this use-case on Salt Spring Island long before the pilot project, with some tests back in 2014. So we could see the benefits of this use-case early on. Drone technology has improved immensely since then – meaning we can fly greater distances at greater speeds.

“We are immensely pleased to see this research get back underway after the pause forced by the pandemic,” says InDro Founder and CEO Philip Reece. “We’re also in a position now where we can explore using fixed-wing VTOL for greater speed and integrate more robust command and control protocols. Our ultimate, long-term vision includes the potential for a series of strategically placed docks in rural areas that contain drones and AEDs that can be automatically and autonomously dispatched the moment that 911 call comes in.”

We look forward to updating you after the next trial.

InDro part of new rural Indigenous healthcare drone delivery project

InDro part of new rural Indigenous healthcare drone delivery project

Jul 21, 2025 | Drone Delivery, Eric Saczuk, Indigenous Peoples/First Nations, InDro News, Scott Simmie

By Scott Simmie

 

InDro Robotics is pleased to be part of a newly funded research initiative that will explore delivering healthcare supplies by drone to three separate rural Indigenous communities. The project’s full title is “Implementing Drone Technology in Rural Indigenous Healthcare Systems: The Drone Transport Initiative.”

This news is actually the latest component of a multi-pronged initiative that will examine the need for and effectiveness of such deliveries, how to best ensure the most comprehensive benefits for communities in need, incorporate best practices from a multidisciplinary team – and even develop and test new technologies. The ultimate long-term goal is to develop an efficient and safe long-range drone delivery system that could be deployed at scale to enhance healthcare in remote Indigenous and other isolated communities.

The funding for the newest phase comes from Canada’s New Frontiers in Research Fund (NFRF). The Fund typically focuses on “interdisciplinary, international, high-risk/high-reward and fast-breaking research.”

There’s no question that rural Indigenous communities face barriers to access to the healthcare most Canadians take for granted. As the NFRF announcement points out: “Delivering medical supplies to rural Indigenous communities in Canada presents significant challenges, leading to health inequities. Drones offer a promising solution by transporting medical supplies, potentially bridging these gaps in healthcare access. By doing so, this project addresses these inequities and supports the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action.”

The Principal Investigator of this portion of the project is Dr. Femke Hoekstra (PhD), Assistant Professor at UBC’s Department of Medicine, Division of Social Medicine in the area of Implementation Science. Her research focuses on improving “health services and care for equity-deserving groups in rural, remote and isolated communities.” She holds multiple other related qualifications/positions – and is a perfect fit to oversee the research.

Above: The Skylane M350, a long-range VTOL InDro is evaluating for use in the project. Below: A previous InDro initiative delivering COVID test supplies to an isolated First Nations community during the peak of the COVID19 pandemic

THE DETAILS

 

Particulars of this new NFRF funded project are now public and available by searching “drone” on this page. The overview makes it very clear this is not simply a delivery project – but a comprehensive research initiative with many medical experts, Indigenous and regional partners, subject matter experts and more. It’s about a *lot* more than simply shuttling supplies by drone. Rather, you could think of it as the early phase of developing a workable system that will attempt to address and unify the many variables required to make all of this work effectively.

Partners in the project include an interdisciplinary team of researchers, health administrators and professionals, members of rural Indigenous communities, industry partners and key decision makers. As the NFRF announcement points out:

“Insights from our initial demonstration phase, environmental scans, and community needs assessment will inform our drone delivery model. Building relationships with the three rural Indigenous communities will be crucial for success, as their views and needs will guide the work.”

The initial phase of the project will focus on communities in northern British Columbia, including the Village of Fraser Lake and Stellat’en First Nation – both remote and a considerable distance west of Prince George. The goal is to provide reliable patient care by moving supplies, lab samples, and medicine between facilities and even directly to patients’ homes.

OBJECTIVES

The funding announcement outlines three specific objectives:

  • Co-develop an innovative model for using drones to deliver medical supplies in rural Indigenous communities
  • Co-implement the use of drone technology in three rural Indigenous communities
  • Co-evaluate partners’ experiences, outcomes and impacts.

Once the preliminary research is complete, InDro Robotics will be an industry partner carrying out the drone deliveries. These will be long-duration, low-risk BVLOS flights over challenging terrain – and where weather conditions could be very different 50 kilometres out from the takeoff point. InDro’s Chief of Flight Ops, Dr. Eric Saczuk, recently met in Prince George with about 30 people involved with the project. To say he was impressed would be an understatement.

“I was blown away at how passionate people were, how serious they were and how excited they were. I really felt like this people are visionaries. They’re definitely looking into the future and that appeals to me a great deal. I would love to positively contribute to that effort on that basis alone.”

There’s a lot of work before the first flights – which will involve a fixed-wing VTOL – take place. There are many considerations on the healthcare and community side of things, ensuring Indigenous partners have the main voice in determining the most pressing needs. Community healthcare workers will have input too – and researchers will want to create a framework so that all of this can be critically assessed for best outcomes.

And that’s before we even get to the drone side of things. There’s topography, range and payload to consider, weather challenges, Detect and Avoid technologies, contingency landing spots – and so much more. In fact, as part of a companion project, InDro is developing ground-based stations that will pepper the route to relay local weather conditions, scan for low-flying aircraft – and relay that data both to the drones and a Mission Control where an operator can someday monitor multiple simultaneous deliveries.

Sound like a lot of work? It will be. And that’s why Dr. Saczuk absolutely embraces it.

“It’s challenging. It’s something that will certainly move the needle forward in terms of establishing what needs to happen in order to operationalize these types of deliveries.”

Below: (1) The communities include the Village of Fraser Lake and Stellat’en First Nation, with flights to and from Prince George. (2) Dr. Eric Saczuk alongside the Skylane M350 VTOL, a drone we are evaluating for use in the project 

UBC Drone Delivery Village of Fraser Lake
Skylane M350 VTOL Eric Saczuk

INDRO’S TAKE

 

Drone deliveries aren’t new. There are huge success stories in rural healthcare deliveries, with Zipline achieving legendary accomplishments rapidly moving critical medical supplies in Africa. But when it comes to Canada, particularly communities most in need, there has yet to be a carefully thought-out long-range BVLOS system that reliably and consistently serves communities with pressing needs at scale. It takes more than a drone company to execute such a grand vision – it takes a village, and a multidisciplinary one at that.

There is now such a village. And we are very excited to be a member.

“We hear about various pilot projects, about instances where people try things out,” says Dr. Saczuk. “But I think this has the potential – out of all the projects and products I’ve been involved with – to really establish it as an operational service that could actually overcome some of those gaps and barriers to the delivery of medical services to remote First Nations communities.”

As mentioned, there are other partners onboard this ambitious project, with each carrying out interconnected and synergic roles. These include the CAN Health Network and INSAT – the Institute for Sustainable Aviation Technology. You’ll be hearing more about their roles later.

This is an important, long-term project which we hope will result in immense benefits for multiple communities. We look forward to keeping you updated along the journey.

Will Robots Replace Humans at Scale?

Will Robots Replace Humans at Scale?

Jul 7, 2025 | InDro News, Industry 4.0, Industry News, Robots, Scott Simmie

By Scott Simmie

 

The robots are coming. And, in many places, they’re already here.

Robotic automation has long been integral to manufacturing at scale. Think automobile factories, for example. Robotic arms weld, paint, lift heavy parts – all jobs that at one point in the past were done by humans. We’re all familiar with videos of this process.

But in recent years, we’ve seen something of an inflection point in robotics. Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) are increasingly common, shuttling goods and lifting heavy loads. There are robots that can load and unload trucks, using special grippers or end effectors. Delivery robots are ubiquitous in some parts of the world, with China leading the pack. And then there’s drones, with companies like Zipline seemingly perfecting the art of small deliveries and shifting from solely medical deliveries to convenience items. Automated devices now unload and place containers from ships – an innovation that led to labour disruptions as longshoremen in the US protested that these machines jeopardise their livelihoods,

The list goes on. And, with the growth now of humanoid robots – which require no infrastructure changes and can carry out many tasks done by humans – the inevitable question arises: Will robots someday replace humans at scale?

It’s a big question. And, for some, kind of a scary one. So we thought we’d explore some thoughts, and predictions, with someone thoroughly in the know: InDro’s Director of Engineering, Arron Griffiths (below).

A GOOD SOURCE

 

We tapped Arron not only because he’s our Director of Engineering, but because he has lived and breathed technology his entire life. Born in Birmingham, he comes from a line of engineers and technologists that goes way back. In fact, because of his father’s profession his family was the first in his neighbourhood to have the internet, and Arron grew up with computers.

“My father is an internet engineer and my grandfather was a welder by trade, and then his father was an engineer and we think his father was an engineer,” says Griffiths. “There’s a lineage on my dad’s side of engineers and skilled trades we believe going all the way back to being tinkerers or something.”

So it’s not surprising that an engineer who has spent decades in robotics spends a lot of time thinking about robots. Not just the mechanics and software – but about their implications. So we asked him: Will robots replace humans at scale?

“It is basically a fear of everyone around robotics, particularly AI as well,” he says. “The answer is yes and no – and let me elaborate a little bit.”

He does so, with a long-term perspective.

“Every Industrial Revolution has caused disruption in some form or another and displaced humans from classical (tasks) in agriculture or industrial manufacturing…so there is definitely going to be a painful period where robotics is adopted, and jobs that were once held by humans get sort of outpaced.”

The driving force here, as with previous Industrial Revolutions, is economics. If a robot can efficiently carry out tasks at a lower overall cost than humans, the case is there for them to be adopted.

“But the trick is to ensure that the economy is growing at the same time. And if the economy is growing, there will always be the need for more people.”

And if the economy doesn’t grow?

“That’s the real scary part. If the economy doesn’t grow with the scale of robotics adoption, then there would be significant disruption, maybe even humans resisting robotics. But if everything grows at a good rate, I think robotic adoption will take maybe 10 years, but there will be a rough patch.”

 

WE’VE BEEN HERE BEFORE

 

Remember when Automated Teller Machines were introduced at scale back in the 1970s? There was consternation that tellers would become obsolete. That didn’t happen. Yes, they were convenient for a fast withdrawal or deposit, but ATMs can’t answer questions, can’t assist people with the many reasons they go to a bank. And so yes, every bank has one of those machines. But they also still have tellers.

The same concerns popped up when automated checkouts started appearing at retail outlets. Would sales staff and checkout people disappear? They haven’t (though it’s possible some companies have downsized their staff). But again, automation did not simply replace humans.

A big part of the reason is because human interaction is at the very core of many businesses and our daily lives – and robots are not even close to reaching the stage of handling those complex interactions. Human beings possess qualities that robots do not, at least not yet. Things like creativity, emotional intelligence, the ability to adapt to unforeseen situations.

“Humans are still always going to be needed because we’re never going to be able to get robots in the near term to think, feel, imagine, communicate quite like a human with other humans directly,” says Griffiths. “So yeah, I think humans definitely have a one up and will have that advantage for the foreseeable decade or so.”

The other thing Griffiths points out is that robotics are definitely more prevalent in more technologically developed parts of the word – and there are huge swaths of the planet where they are relatively rare and that adoption will take a very long time.

“In Western industry, we’ll definitely see a lot more automation. But in emerging markets like Africa, India, (they’re) still going to rely on humans. So it depends on where you are in the world, I think.”

The caveat? It used to always be said that robots are perfect for jobs that are dirty, dull and dangerous. That’s still true. But with advances in AI and Large Language Models (as well as the development of humanoids and other collaborative robots, or co-bots intended to work alongside humans) we are potentially at the early stages of a shift. Robots will, in future, take on more tasks that aren’t simply one of the three Ds.

Below: Agility’s Digit, showing off its ability to pick up ingredients for a pasta dinner. Yes, it’s slow. But you can be confident it will get faster, Still, we’re willing to bet most people will prefer to do their own shopping. A robot can’t make the split-decisions a human is likely to make when selecting one product over another, for example. 

INDRO’S TAKE

 

We are definitely in changing times. Advances in robotics will continue – and most of the current demand is indeed for robots that can carry out those dirty, dull and dangerous jobs. But, over time, we’ll see more of them carrying out other tasks and developing greater problem solving skills – including (with AI) the ability to communicate more easily with humans.

But are we on the cusp of an era where there will be mass displacement of humans?

“There will be some disruption in the future for sure,” says InDro Founder and CEO Philip Reece. “But, as we’ve seen with previous Industrial Revolutions and the adoption of ATMs etc, the sky didn’t fall. There will also be more jobs created in robotics, AI, and other related fields we can’t even foresee yet. Will robots continue to expand in fields where they can help humans and productivity? Absolutely. But human beings are resilient, creative and adaptable. And – though I’m obviously a fan of what robots can do – there will always be a human advantage. Yes, the robots are coming. But they’re not going to rule the world.”

InDro, by the way, focuses on custom R&D and robots for clients and our own inspection and scanning products that cater to the dirty, dull and dangerous. We’re not out to replace your job – only to enhance productivity where it’s a fit.

InDro on the road: Four major conferences in a month

InDro on the road: Four major conferences in a month

Jun 5, 2025 | Events, InDro Cortex, InDro News, Industry News, Scott Simmie

By Scott Simmie

 

We’ve been busy.

Our Head of R&D Sales, Luke Corbeth, has been on the road – hitting up four conferences in three countries in less than a month. During that time, he’s met with potential clients, seen cutting-edge research, and even officially launched the new InDro Cortex.

It’s always a challenge, selecting which conferences to attend. But we try to be strategic, attending those which combine a chance to meet with new and existing clients while learning as much about new trends and research as possible.

For Corbeth, who has just returned from a show in the UK, it’s all about opportunities.

“Some of these conferences are truly the place to meet with people who are at the forefront of R&D and new use-case scenarios,” says Corbeth. “These people are often leveraging either our technology or tech from other manufacturers and integrators. These events are a great way to stay on top of things.”

Below: Luke at the big AUTOMATE 2025 show in Detroit

Luke Corbeth Automate

AUTOMATE 2025

 

This was the first stop on our tour.

In early May, Corbeth headed to the AUTOMATE 2025 show in Detroit – one of the premiere annual automation events. We were guests at the big Ericsson booth, where the company was highlighting its Ericsson 5G Private network, or EP5G. Large companies with smart factories and high degrees of automation are increasingly opting for private 5G networks for their security, high bandwidth and low-latency. Literally thousands of smart or embedded devices can share data in real-time on a private 5G network.

To show off the potential of private 5G, companies like Ericsson (which is the world’s largest provider of cellular network hardware) need to showcase tangible use-cases. And so Corbeth was there with Captis, a cycle-counting and precision scanning autonomous robot built for warehouse environments. InDro Robotics is the incubator of Cypher Robotics and helped do the R&D work on Captis. 

“We make private 5G sexy,” laughs Corbeth. “Captis is a prime example of a technology that effectively leverages private 5G networks.”

 

ICRA

 

Next, it was off to Atlanta for the IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation, or ICRA. Once again, there was plenty of automation and robotics on display, but the real emphasis at ICRA is on research. Posters and papers are a big part of the event, which draws some of the leading global researchers and thought leaders.

“ICRA is more of a forward-looking conference when compared with Automate,” explains Corbeth. “You’re really getting a peek at technologies, algorithms and use-cases that are coming down the pipeline.”

ICRA attracts a *lot* of researchers from the academic world, and a significant portion of InDro’s clients are from universities. At this event, InDro displayed its new Cortex – an exceedingly powerful module for robot integration and teleoperation – for the first time in public.

“Cortex is a platform- and sensor-agnostic brain box,” he says. “It can be attached to any platform – wheeled, tracked, quadruped, humanoid or drone. Because it’s plug and play, anyone who already has some combination of platforms and sensors can quickly build a robot around it.”

InDro also displayed its ROS2-based drone, developed by InDro for R&D use-cases. You’ll be hearing more about that in the future.

 

IDEaS

 

From Atlanta, it was back to Ottawa for the Innovation for Defence Excellence and Security (IDEaS) event. Put on by the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Air Force, there was definitely some emphasis on military applications such as Counter-UAS technology. InDro is prioritised on positive use-case scenarios, such as logistics, mapping, Search and Rescue, cargo delivery etc.

“We have really maintained our focus on drones and robots for good,” says Corbeth.

 

UK

 

And last, but not least, Luke jet-setted to the UK for the big Smart Manufacturing Expo in Birmingham. It could be described as the UK’s equivalent of Automate, with the focus on automation and robotics in the manufacturing sector. At the June 4-5 event, Corbeth was representing the Captis cycle-counting solution.

“Really, we were exploring whether potential clients in the UK are experiencing some of the same problems with cycle counting that existing clients in Canada, New Zealand and the UAE have. There was a tremendous amount of interest in Captis.”

Below: Another show, another booth for Luke Corbeth. Second photo shows Luke with senior Ericsson staff Jan Diekmann, Alan Minney and John Tomik. InDro shared the stage with Ericsson in Birmingham to discuss the future of smart factories and private 5G networks

Luke Corbeth
Luke Birmingham Ericsson Jan Diekmann, Alan Minney and John Tomik

INDRO’S TAKE

 

As mentioned, we choose conferences carefully in order to maximise our spend, exposure, and client outreach. Corbeth was able to meet with many existing clients and develop new relationships that could lead to strategic partnerships and/or sales. Perhaps most importantly, he was able to showcase Cortex, our new ROS2 R&D drone, as well as promote the Captis cycle-counting/precision scan solution.

“It’s been a very busy month for Luke and InDro Robotics,” observes InDro Founder and CEO Philip Reece. “We are very excited about both Cortex and our R&D drone and are on a trajectory to manufacture these at scale later this year. We’re pleased to see the level of interest in these products – and have no doubt the investment we’ve made in attending these events will pay off.”

Interested in learning more about either of those products? You can get in touch with Luke (who may still be jet-lagged) right here.

InDro Forge: A one-stop shop for prototype development and limited production runs

InDro Forge: A one-stop shop for prototype development and limited production runs

Jun 4, 2025 | InDro Forge, InDro News, Scott Simmie

By Scott Simmie

 

It’s been some time since we’ve written about InDro Forge. That’s our custom prototype fabrication and limited production run facility in Ottawa.

We’ve been running the facility since September of 2023 – and have grown its capacity significantly since then. We’ve added new staff, capital expenditures, and have fine-tuned a workflow to ensure speed without sacrificing quality control.

“InDro Forge is the hardware hub of InDro Robotics,” explains Forge Production Engineer Joel Koscielski. “So it’s the space where we design, develop, prototype and produce the hardware that goes into InDro products as well as our client’s products.”

And, with designers and engineers and fabrication specialists, Forge ensures clients leave with a polished, finished product.

Below: The water jet table – one of many additive and subtractive tools at InDro Forge

ADDITIVE, SUBTRACTIVE TOOLS

 

You can think of InDro Forge as a small-scale factory. And it’s loaded with the tools required for that job, ranging from a state-of-the-art CNC machine and water jet table through to a variety of 3D printing devices – including the BigRep ONE, capable of printing objects up to one cubic meter in size with a variety of materials.

All of these tools, broadly, belong to one of two categories: Additive or subtractive.

“Subtractive tooling, as it implies, is about taking away material,” explains Koscielski. “If you think about something like a beautiful stone carving, or you a wood carving that’s been carved with a chainsaw to make a beautiful piece of art – those are subtractive processes.”

And additive?

“That’s really about working with a liquid material or powder, adding layer by layer, to build in what’s commonly known as 3D printing. We have about six different types of printers here that work with multiple materials depending on the accuracy we need on the surface finish.”

 

IN-HOUSE EXPERTISE

 

InDro Forge has a cross-disciplinary team, ensuring complementary skillsets. We have experienced robotics engineers, designers, electronics specialists and more to ensure our client’s plans evolve into a functioning, real-world product. We’re proud of the final fit and finish of everything that goes out the door.

We’re also cognisant that, on rare occasions, unusual requirements can pop up that stretch even our considerable expertise and fabrication resources. There, InDro Forge has access to the InDro Robotics engineering team at Area X.O, as well as contacts with external specialists in virtually every related sector.

“We have a well-filled Rolodex – though that’s a bit of a dated term – of people we can reach out to when our expert isn’t enough,” says Koscielski. “We know who to ask to be able to make sure that we can find the best solution for the problem we’re facing.”

Below: In addition to products for clients, InDro’s robots like Sentinel now go through final integration and assembly at InDro Forge

 
Industrial Inspection Robot

INDRO’S TAKE

 

We launched InDro Forge in September of 2023 with a small but strong core staff. Since then, we’ve expanded that team significantly with strategic hires aimed at maximising not only Forge’s overall expertise – but its capacity for handling multiple projects, including limited production runs.

“InDro Forge has truly been the perfect match for our Area X.O operations – as well as new clients,” says InDro Robotics Founder and CEO Philip Reece. “With the ability to leverage the expertise of our broader engineering R&D team, Forge has an immense amount of expertise at its fingertips.”

Interested in learning more? Contact InDro Forge here.

InDro in Atlanta at ICRA – IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation

InDro in Atlanta at ICRA – IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation

May 21, 2025 | InDro Cortex, InDro News, Industry News, Scott Simmie

By Scott Simmie

 

We are at ICRA 2025 – billed as “the premiere conference in robotics and automation.”

With about 40,000 attendees, there are some conferences out there that are even larger. But few are more influential when it comes to R&D. Some 3,000 research papers have been submitted for the show, with massive poster displays showing off cutting-edge research and new use-cases.

InDro is represented at this show by our Head of R&D Sales, Luke Corbeth. We spoke with Luke about why this conference is so important in this edition of our Sound Byte micro-podcast.

PAPERS, POSTERS, BREAKTHROUGHS

 

All of that research may not be as immediately appealing as the latest humanoid robot, but some of it might well improve the next generation of humanoids or reveal new use-cases. Research unveiled at shows like these – and particularly at ICRA – often finds a pathway from R&D into real-world applications..

“It’s really about creating that knowledge transfer,” explains Corbeth. “Others can build on top of what was discovered instead of having to do that work over again. And, that ultimately lays the groundwork (not only) for improvement in our field but also collaboration as well between academia, industry and others.”

And while Corbeth will be checking out the poster presentations (and robots!) when he has a moment to slip away from the booth, most of his time will be spent talking with potential clients about recent InDro innovations.

Those on display at the show include InDro Controller – our user-friendly interface for remote teleoperations and autonomous missions. Controller is the result of an immense amount of Front and Back-End development. It allows for the rapid plotting of repeatable autonomous missions with a few clicks of a mouse. Actions, such as zooming in on a point of interest or scanning a particular item for thermal anomalies, can be set up in a flash. And the software immediately detects any new sensors added to a robot (or drone) and allows for a fully customisable dashboard to display and save the data they acquire.

We’re also showing off our new R&D research drone. We developed this product, which runs on ROS2, over the past two years. Because it’s fully Open Source and has powerful onboard compute, it’s the perfect tool for researchers who want to test new applications and code. There are very few drones that have been developed specifically for R&D purposes, so we’re pleased to be offering this (and have already sold units to US researchers).

 

THE BIG REVEAL

 

We’re most excited, however, to be showing our new Cortex module in public for the first time.

“It’s a brain box for virtually any robot or drone,” says Corbeth. “So the idea behind Cortex is it’s extremely lightweight. It has really capable compute in the (NVIDIA) Orin NX in addition to 5G connectivity and power distribution. So we can turn virtually any Uncrewed Ground Vehicle or Uncrewed Aerial Vehicle into a robot capable of teleoperation and autonomy with a little bit of software and some sensor integrations.”

We’re not releasing full specs yet, but we’re incredibly excited about the capabilities offered by Cortex. It allows not only for remote teleoperation, but for the near-instant integration of additional sensors on UGVs and UAVs without all the coding. We can also bundle Cortex with additional software stacks like InDro Autonomy. And, of course, it plays nice with InDro Controller.

If you follow InDro, you’ll be aware we previously developed the popular InDro Commander, which carries out similar functions. Cortex is the logical descendant of that R&D, putting even greater power into the smallest package possible.

Though commercial release is scheduled for later this year, we’ve already had inquiries and pre-orders. Here’s a peek at Cortex on display at ICRA 2025:

InDro Cortex ICRA 2025

INDRO’S TAKE

 

We choose our conferences carefully. ICRA is truly at the centre of cutting-edge R&D and is a must-attend for us. Not only is it a great opportunity to expand our client base, but also a chance to see the latest and best research in the sector.

“The show has come a long way since we were last here,” says Corbeth. “There has been an incredible amount of innovation in such a short period from the companies that exhibit and the researchers that are presenting. Notably, a lot of advancement in humanoids, grippers and solutions like Cortex that make it easier to develop, create and deploy robotics systems.”

Interested in more information about Cortex? You can hit us up here.