InDro hires Head of Strategic Innovations

InDro hires Head of Strategic Innovations

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

By Scott Simmie

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

Stacey Connors

FedEx

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

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

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

Leap of faith

 

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

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

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

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

 

Solutions

 

 

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

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

Canada Robotics

Other expertise

 

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

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

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

Autonomous Cars

InDro’s take

 

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

But the second is really about the timing.

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

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

InDro Robotics, Area X.O team up to provide high-level drone, robot training

InDro Robotics, Area X.O team up to provide high-level drone, robot training

Feb 1, 2023 | Area X.O, Education, InDro News, RPAS/Drone Instruction, Scott Simmie

By Scott Simmie

 

InDro Robotics and Area X.O – the R&D complex for next-gen smart mobility, autonomy and connectivity founded and operated by Invest Ottawa with an emphasis on real-world robotics and IoT device testing – have joined forces to build and operate a new test centre at Area X.O’s private facility.

It will be dedicated to drone and robot testing, demonstration and training, with the physical site and training modules intended to reflect National Institute of Standards and Technology, or NIST, criteria.

This type of drone training requires very precise drone piloting skills and produces a score. It’s used for high-level drone professionals, particularly law enforcement and other First Responders, extensively in the United States.

Leveraging critical new funding from the Government of Canada’s support through FedDev Ontario, the new facility at Area X.O will be the first of its kind in Canada. With instruction provided InDro Robotics, it will harness the capabilities and infrastructure of Area X.O, and create an entirely new resource for Canadian innovators and companies in a year-round setting.

Below: A rendering of the planned site. Note the caged area at rear for the safe evaluation of drones.

 

DARTT Zone

Extensive drone training…

 

The facility will offer multiple options for drone training, in addition to the new high-level course. These will include obtaining Basic and Advanced RPAS certificates, along with on-site flight reviews.

InDro already has an extensive background with training First Responders, as well as advanced commercial pilots. We’ve done this at InDro facilities and on-site for clients. And the online portal FLYY is a collaboration with Kate Klassen, one of Canada’s most respected drone instructors.

“Online instruction is a tremendous tool,” says Klassen. “But there’s something to be said for in-person, hands-on training once you’re talking about highly specialised skills.”

The facility will combine aerial and ground robotic training and testing – all in a single location.

NIST

Robots

 

It’s not just about the drones. InDro Robotics and Area X.O strive to offer training, skills development and evaluation of the capabilities of robots.

Want to learn how to teleoperate a robot? You’ll do it here.

You’ll also be able to put your robot (or one of InDro’s) through its paces. You’ll be operating on several different surfaces, feeling the difference as an operator when moving over concrete, various grades of gravel – even through sand and water. You’ll also be piloting your robot over varying types of obstacles, along with testing the ability to climb at various degrees of inclination (if you’re so inclined).

Want to pilot using a thermal camera? Or try testing autonomous detect-and-avoid and SLAM capabilities? We’ve got you covered.

“There really isn’t any other facility of this type in Canada,” says Reece. “InDro is proud to be partnering with Area X.O to bring this unique innovation to those in the aerial and ground robotics space.”

The criteria for ground robots will also follow standards that are accepted for the testing of robots themselves – as well as operators. 

Quadrupeds

The InDro connection

 

InDro Robotics has a long and respected tradition of offering training to drone professionals. We have trained police, firefighters and other First Responders on how to effectively use drones within the Canadian Aviation Regulations (CARS part IX) regulations. We’re also fortunate to have former RCMP member Brian Fentiman – who was responsible for RCMP RPAS operations in British Columbia, on staff.

In fact, Brian created the layout for the course, and believes there are two types of clients who will want to use the test facility.

“I think there are going to be manufacturers that want their product tested, as well as police departments, fire departments, First Responders, as well as any professional agency that’s using drones,” he says.

“Part of the facility will also help other companies test ground robots – navigating curbs, driveways, inclines, sand, gravel, water and more. There’s also a netted enclosure that will allow drone manufacturers to test scenarios like GPS or compass failures and flyaways. This is a safe enclosure – technically, they are flying indoors and don’t have to seek special regulatory permissions or take on additional risk.”

Brian also points out that the facility has been designed to potentially grow over time, perhaps one day including a section for training in such areas as HUSAR – Heavy Urban Search and Rescue.

For a better idea of what the initial site will look like, check out the video below.

 

Area X.O: A competitive advantage

 

Area X.O is already a one-of-a-kind facility. On any given day you’ll see robots taking advantage of the private roads and traffic lights used for Connected and Autonomous Vehicle (CAV) testing – or drones being flown to evaluate new capabilities.

The new test centre will enhance Area X.O’s capacity for testing, training, evaluation and development, in conjunction with InDro’s expertise.

“InDro Robotics is a world leader in advanced robotic and drone R&D, and one of the very first companies in Canada to be certified by Transport Canada to fly Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS),” said Kelly Daize, Strategic Market Director of Area X.O. “We are delighted that InDro is building an R&D team onsite with us at Area X.O with 20 engineers and counting.” 

“Having this world leader co-located at our private R&D facility creates an immense competitive advantage for the innovators and companies we serve,” said Rebecca Thompson, Senior Manager of Operations, Area X.O. “We are excited to build on our collaboration and put InDro’s industry leadership, technology and certified capabilities to work to accelerate the commercialization of new robotic solutions and build the pipeline of related expertise.”

Below: InDro CEO Philip Reece at Area X.O during the TCXPO event

InDro Robotics

InDro’s take

 

We’re pleased to be involved with this project – which, to the best of our knowledge – is the first of its kind in Canada.

With InDro’s background in both drone training and robotics R&D, we’re confident this will be a perfect match for our skillset.

“Flying drones professionally, and operating robots, is a skill,” says InDro CEO Philip Reece.

“We look forward to offering our services at this facility to First Responders and professional operators from across Canada on a year-round basis. Whether it’s drones or robots, we anticipate this will become the go-to site for elevating skills and testing product capabilities in a controlled environment. We’re also pleased to again be collaborating with the excellent Area X.O and Invest Ottawa teams.”

Construction on the new facility will begin shortly, with operations expected to commence by summer, 2023.

 

InDro Backpack makes smart dog robots smarter

InDro Backpack makes smart dog robots smarter

Jan 25, 2023 | InDro Backpack, InDro News, InDro Solutions, Scott Simmie

By Scott Simmie

 

Want to make a smart dog smarter?

(And by “dog,” we’re referring here to quadruped robots – whose form factor and locomotion make them look like dogs.)

InDro has developed a solution for that.

We call it InDro Backpack. It’s a bolt-on hardware/software product that transforms the capabilities of these robots, enabling them to carry out remote operations over 5G and 4G networks – with data streaming real-time to the desktop or laptop of the operator.

And why do we call it the InDro Backpack? Well, once it’s bolted on, that’s what it kind of looks like. This is our first generation prototype, mounted on the Unitree GO-1 EDU. (We’ll explain those scuff marks later on.)

 

InDro Backpack

What’s in the box

 

The box contains both hardware and software. On the hardware side, there’s a high-speed 5G modem, along with a Jetson Xavier NX (which manufacturer NVIDIA calls the “World’s smallest AI supercomputer”). The Robot Operating System (ROS) library is also stacked in there, along with the software required to use the ROCOS dashboard for controlling the system.

And what does that mean?

“The operator is able to send the control commands to the InDro backpack over a 5G or 4G network. And the InDro Backpack passes the commands and transmits that to the dog,” explains Kaiwen Xu of our Area X.O R&D engineering facility.

InDro Backpack also makes the most of the multiple sensors that come on quadrupeds like the GO1 EDU.

“Out of the box, the Unitree GO1 has an app. But it’s not the greatest at managing all of the camera feeds,” says Account Executive Luke Corbeth. “Through the ROCOS dashboard, it’s a lot easier to see each of the feeds and get the most out of the impressive hardware that’s in the units. There are five sets of cameras and three sets of ultrasonic sensors – so we can really ensure the client is getting the most out of those.”

In addition to that, the software libraries make the Unitree a fully ROS-enabled robot, which greatly expands its capabilities.

“That’s what makes Backpack valuable to the R&D community,” says Corbeth. “It means clients have access to all available packages to enable a wide range of applications, be it autonomous navigation, perception, motion planning, multi-robot systems – packages to ensure they can really jump-start their project. That’s the InDro value add-in.”

InDro has also made the User Interface super-intuitive, allowing an Xbox controller to control the robot via a laptop or desktop device. Even first-time users seem to have no difficulty telling these Backpack-enhanced dogs where to go, seeing their surroundings in real-time via video.

 

Who’s this for?

 

Who might benefit from an InDro Backpack-enabled quadruped?

Well, it depends on the use-case. For education, R&D and corporate innovation centres, the GO1 EDU with Backpack is a good choice. But Enterprise clients wanting to do outdoor inspections in more challenging environments will likely want a larger and more capable robot, the Unitree B1.

“The backpack was designed for the GO1 as a means of getting additional compute and teleoperations,” says Corbeth. “It can be used in simple and controlled environments, but as soon as it becomes more dangerous and complex it makes more sense to put the backpack on the B1.”

The B1 is capable of climbing larger stairs and negotiating more hazardous environments than the GO1 EDU. It also has an impressive Ingress Protection rating, making it better suited to these use-cases. That’s a photo of the B1 beside its smaller sibling below, taken at our Area X.O facility:

 

Quadrupeds

Roll over

 

If you were looking carefully at the first image of the GO1 EDU with that backpack, you’ll have noticed a few scratches on top. How did they get there?

Well, the Unitree quadrupeds are capable of righting themselves if they happen to fall over on some challenging terrain. They do so with a manoeuvre that’s like a dog rolling over. This gets up enough intertia for them to land on their feet. We took that into account when designing the Backpack.

“The backpack has a slim profile. We built it so that it can still roll over – even if it falls,” says Corbeth. “So it doesn’t compromise any of the functionality of the robot.”

(Observant readers will also notice a Unitree robotic arm in the top right of the image below. More on that in a future post.)

Quadrupeds

Making a good robot great

 

Out of the box, the Unitree robots are highly capable. But InDro Backpack clearly expands those capabilities. With this add-on, the units can be operated from hundreds or even thousands of kilometres away using an Xbox controller with no discernible latency. Multiple windows in the ROCOS dashboard allow for monitoring data from the Unitree’s various cameras and sensors. The addition of the ROS software library and Jetson EDGE computer further enhance capabilities for autonomous functions.

In short, this good dog suddenly becomes a great dog – with additional capabilities.

“A client can add LiDAR to the dog, they can also put a stereo camera on top for 3D Simulatenous Localisation and Mapping (SLAM), and these kinds of things,” says Kaiwen Xu.

Two InDro Backpack-enabled Unitrees are soon heading out the door to California, with more in production. It’s a unique solution, designed from the bottom-up by InDro.

“This product has really solidified us as kind of the go-to integrators for some of the platforms out of Unitree,” adds Corbeth. “It’s worth noting that the backpack is platform-agnostic. It can go onto any platform, including the AgileX platform.”

So just picture that Backpack on the highly capable Unitree B1, seen below. A perfect fit for remote inspections and surveillance.

InDro’s take

 

A big part of What InDro Does is develop products that can expand the capabilities and use-case scenarios of existing products. Innovations like InDro Commander and InDro Pilot are already making their mark in the industry, and InDro Backpack is next.

“Upgrading a quadruped with InDro Backpack is a significant value-add that can truly teach a new dog new tricks,” says InDro CEO Philip Reece.

“With growing demand for teleoperated solutions – particularly for remote locations like electrical substations and solar farms – InDro Backpack transforms Unitree quadrupeds, and other robots, into more powerful and expandible platforms. I’m very pleased with the work our Area X.O team has put into the development and production of this tool.”

Interested in learning more? Feel free to contact Luke Corbeth to schedule a presentation or demo. And if you have an Xbox controller, he might even let you drive!

2022 InDro Highlights

2022 InDro Highlights

Jan 16, 2023 | Autonomy, InDro Commander, InDro News, InDro Pilot, InDro Sentinel, ROLL-E

Wow. Another year has passed.

And for InDro Robotics, it was a year marked by new products, new deployments, and multiple milestones.

We did a deep dive on the year with our Year in Review story, which you can find here. But we realise some people might prefer a condensed version. So here we go, starting with the image above.

That’s Sentinel, our rugged teleoperated robot for remote inspections. We launched that product at the very beginning of 2022. It’s been designed for remote inspections, carried out over 4G and 5G networks. We customise Sentinel’s sensors based on client needs, but the standard model comes with a 30x optical Pan-Tilt-Zoom camera, thermal sensor, and a high-res wide-angle camera that gives the operator a clear view of surroundings.

Operations are a snap, using an Xbox controller plugged into a laptop with a comprehensive dashboard. Even dense data can be streamed and downloaded in real-time over 5G. In fact, we’ve proven Sentinel’s minimal-latency capabilities from more than 4,000 kilometres away. (That took place from Bellevue, Washington State, where we were invited to demo our system by T-Mobile.)

It didn’t take long for word to get around. A couple of months after Sentinel’s launch, we were invited to put it through its paces at the Electric Power Research Institute, or EPRI. Check out this next image – it’s a frame grab from the Sentinel dashboard, and was captured during a mission at an EPRI testbed electrical substation in Lenox, Massachussetts.

InDro Robotics

There’s a lot we could tell you about Sentinel but we’re trying to keep this tight. If you’d like more in-depth details you can read this story, or reach out to superstar Account Executive Luke Corbeth here. 

InDro Commander

INDRO COMMANDER

A significant part of what gives Sentinel its various superpowers is an innovation we call InDro Commander. It’s a bolt-on box that contains a camera, EDGE computer, a 4G- and 5G-compatible modem and the ROS1 and ROS2 software libraries. That means it’s a snap for clients to add any additional sensors they’d like without the hassle of coding. 

You can operate any InDro Commander-enabled platform using an Xbox controller over a highly intuitive dashboard on your desktop or laptop. FYI, that box you see just above the InDro Logo (and just below the camera) in the image below? That’s InDro Commander.

DRONES

Though InDro has a stellar reputation for ground robotics, the company was founded on the Unmanned Aerial System side of things. So we’ve been busy in that arena, as well.

The most significant development of the year is a software and hardware package we call InDro Pilot. In a nutshell, it’s a bolt-on module that’s similar to Commander. It enables remote BVLOS operations over 4G or 5G, dense data throughput, simplified sensor integration – plus the ability to broadcast to nearby traditional crewed aircraft that drone operations are taking place in the vicinity. 

That hexagonal box in the image is Version 1.0 of the hardware side. We’ve since created a much smaller and lighter version, capable of transforming any Enterprise drone using the Pixhawk flight controller into a low-latency, BVLOS super-RPAS.

InDro Pilot

GROUND (BREAKING) DELIVERIES

In 2022, InDro teamed up with London Drugs to test out ground deliveries via our ROLL-E robot. 

There were two separate trials. The first, in Victoria, involved ROLL-E taking goods ordered online to a parking lot for touchless, curbside delivery. The second, in Surrey BC, involved the second generation of ROLL-E delivering goods from a London Drugs outlet to a consumer’s home. ROLL-E features 4G and 5G teleoperation, and is equipped with a total of six cameras (including two depth-perception cameras), giving the operator tremendous spatial awareness.

That’s ROLL-E 2.0, in the image below. Its secure cargo bay – which unlocks when the robot reaches its destination – can carry up to 50 kilograms.

Delivery Robot

GOOD DOG

Also in 2022, InDro Robotics became a North American distributor for the Unitree line of quadruped robots. These rugged, agile robots are well-suited to a variety of tasks, including remote inspection. In the video below, Luke Corbeth puts the entry-level GO 1 through its paces.

InDro backpack

Remember InDro Commander, the box that enables remote teleoperations and easy sensor integration? We figured a module like that could really expand the capabilities of the Unitree quadrupeds. 

And so – you guessed it – we built it. We call this device InDro Backpack, and you can see it on the robot below.

InDro Backpack

meet limo

InDro Robotics is also a North American distributor of the excellent AgileX robot line. This past year saw the introduction of a very cool machine for education and R&D called LIMO. It comes with an impressive number of features straight out of the box, including:

  • An NVIDIA Jetson Nano, capable of remote teleoperation over 4G
  • An EAI X2L LiDAR unit
  • Stereo camera
  • Four steering modes (tracked, Ackerman, four-wheel differential, and omni-directional)

It’s a powerful, SLAM-capable machine. Best of all? It’s really affordable.

LIMO

montreal marathon

Three InDro employees took part in the Montreal Marathon – but they were largely standing still.

In fact, they were operating sub-250 gram drones as part of a medical research pilot project. The drones – two were constantly in the air throughout the run – were positioned at a point near the end of the course where runners sometimes encounter medical distress. Live feeds from the drones were monitored in a tent by researchers for two reasons: To see if the aerial view could help them quickly identify someone needing help, and to help pinpoint their location so assistance could be rapidly dispatched.

The results? The drone feeds helped quickly identify and locate two runners in need of help. 

“The view from above when monitoring moving crowds is just incomparable,” says Dr. Valérie Homier, an Emergency Physician at McGill University Health Centre and the lead researcher on the project. 

Below: InDro pilots Kaiwen Xu, Ella Hayashi and Liam Dwyer.

Montreal Marathon

TCXpo

One of the highlights of the year was the TCXpo event at Area X.O in Ottawa. Sponsored by Transport Canada and Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, it was a full day of demonstrations from Canadian leaders in the world of Smart Mobility. 

InDro was there, of course, displaying our InDro Pilot-enabled Wayfinder drone, as well a *lot* of ground robots. CEO Philip Reece moderated a panel – and was also in charge of airspace for multiple drone demonstrations. That’s Philip, below, talking about aerial and ground robotics to attendees.

InDro Robotics
Drone Training

training

Speaking of drones, we also launched drone training and resource portal FLYY. Online lessons are carried out by our own Kate Klassen, widely recognised as one of the best (and most qualified) drone instructors in North America. Whether you’re looking to obtain your Basic or Advanced RPAS certificate, or want to further expand your skills, Kate’s got the goods.

If you’re looking for training for multiple people, Kate offers discounts for companies and educational institutes. You can reach her here.

it's a secret...

The other big thing happening in 2022 (and continuing in 2023) was InDro’s work with major global clients. We can’t disclose that work due to non-disclosure agreements, but we can tell you we’re busy with multiple, exciting, ongoing projects!

Finally, we closed out 2022 with another successful InDro Hack-a-Thon. Employees were given a day and a half to work on a project or process that could benefit InDro down the road. Once again, Team InDro delivered, with some amazing projects completed within the deadline. You can read all about it here. 

a final word...

As you can see, it’s been quite a year – and CEO Philip Reece couldn’t be happier.

“I’m incredibly proud of the work InDro accomplished in 2022,” he says. “Our engineering and sales staff consistently punch above their weight, with multiple significant milestones – including excellent revenue growth – achieved in the past year. Just as gratifying is the fact our employees love what they do.”

Very true. Now stay tuned for an even more amazing 2023.

And if you’d like to reach InDro, just give that little orange button a click. Though we’ve got plenty of robots, we’ll make sure a real human being gets back to you shortly.

InDro employees use skills, imagination, during annual “Hack-a-Thon”

InDro employees use skills, imagination, during annual “Hack-a-Thon”

Jan 9, 2023 | InDro News, Scott Simmie, Team InDro

By Scott Simmie

 

Most of the time, InDro staff work on company projects. Generally that means developing new products, manufacturing products for clients, testing new devices in the field and carrying out service provision. Sometimes it even means packing up very large robots for safe shipment to global clients.

But there’s one time of year when all of that is set aside. Staff are given total freedom to come up with their own concepts for products or processes that could be useful for InDro Robotics. And then they’re given a brief amount of time – a day and a half – to see what they can produce. When time is up, a company-wide videoconference is held and employees unveil their creations in five-minute pitch sessions. Votes are cast, and winners are declared.

It’s the InDro version of a “Hack-a-Thon” – though some call it a “Hack-a-Tron” in homage to the movie Tron.

We set aside time for this just before Christmas, and for a couple of reasons. The first is that, as with most companies, things slow down a bit during the holiday season. The second reason is – like the holidays – this event is worth celebrating.

Before we hop into a brief summary of the presentations, here’s a quick look at the kinds of projects employees were encouraged to pursue:

Advanced Robotics

Rules

 

Yes, there are rules – including no “Death by Powerpoint.” 

InDro Robotics

On with the show!

 

Engineering lead Arron Griffiths pulled together a design for a “dog house.” The intended occupant of the house is Sentinel, our remote inspection robot designed for electrical substations, solar farms, etc. 

But why a dog house?

“Well, 90 per cent of robot deployments are short term – think two to four hours – and they tend take place in areas where humans aren’t nearby to check on and recharge the robot. So robots need a safe, warm, dry place where they can recharge.”

Sentinel is capable of recharging wirelessly, and using optical recognition to align itself properly with the charger. So why not have a little home where Sentinel can be protected from the elements? Arron’s design included solar panels to keep Sentinel fed, and a roof using plastic material in order to avoid any interference. There’s even an antenna on top, and an air-conditioner for those really dog day afternoons.

Arron’s design obviously took into account the dimensions of Sentinel, meaning this design is intended to become a real-world product. InDro will likely build its first dog house in Q3 of 2023. 

 

Autonomous Robots
Advanced Robotics

Product renders

 

InDro is a distributor of Unitree robots (among other products). And while we always keep a few of their entry-level quadrupeds in stock, we generally ship orders for higher-end robots directly to the client (unless they want us to modify them).

sThat means we don’t have ultra high quality images of these products for marketing purposes. Stephan Tzolov decided he’d address this, dusting off some old (and impressive) skills in graphic production/design. He imported a CAD model, then worked wonders with virtual lighting, textures and more using Keyshot software.

“I liked flexing my creative muscles in a way that both provided something new and exciting for the team,” he says. “This also revitalizes the way in which we could showcase our robots and potential future/upcoming projects. Future development can include animations.”

Stephan has even included the InDro Backpack – which enables teleoperations over 4G and 5G and makes additional sensor integration a snap. The renders even show how the look of robots can be customised with skins for client branding.

We were really impressed with what Stephan pulled together. Look closely: Can you tell these are not  actual photographs?

 

B1 Quadruped
B1 Quadruped

Big dog

 

By the way, not long after the Hack-a-Thon a Unitree B1 arrived at Area X.O. It’s a much larger robot than its sibling. Interestingly, Stephan’s renders look just as good – perhaps even better – than the real thing.

Quadrupeds

Simulations

 

Software simulations are highly useful in the R&D world. They can help engineers understand aerodynamics, stress – and much more – without using a physical object in the real world or waiting for the event to happen. And so a couple of staff members chose this area for the InDro Hack-a-Thon.

Area X.O’s Kaiwen Xu used the open-source software jMAVSim to create a simulator for the Pixhawk flight controller, the PX4. This flight controller is commonly used in Enterprise drones. But not all flight controllers are the same. For example, a DJI flight controller will respond slightly differently to inputs than a Pixhawk. Plus, the Pixhawk is commonly used in conjunction with Q Ground Control, or QGC, which has its own unique set of commands for programming flights.

“Pilot candidates and clients can practice flying in Software In the Loop (SWIL) environment before going out to flying a real drone,” says Kaiwen. “A typical use-case would be helping a new pilot learn how to arm, disarm, switch flight modes, change parameter settings – and get the feeling of controlling the sticks to operate the drone.”

The simulator could even be used to carry out pre-programmed autopilot flights.

Kaiwen did a successful realtime demo, carrying out a simulated flight. Here’s a mid-mission screengrab:

Robotics Engineers

EVA drives in virtual space

 

The second simulation was prepared by Liam Dwyer, and involved our latest delivery robot.

ROLL-E 2.0 is the second generation of our delivery robot line. It has already been used in curbside pickup and home delivery trials with London Drugs. This second gen version is really slick looking, can carry up to 50kg of cargo, and is remotely teleoperated over 4G and 5G networks. It’s also somehow more feminine in appearance than the original ROLL-E – leading some staff to call it EVA (a name that might stick).

Though Liam can drive the physical ROLL-E 2.0 anytime, he thought it would be useful to create a simulated world for testing purposes. He used a graphical interface called RVIZ, which helps to visualize things in 3D space that use the Robot Operating System (ROS) software. Liam included proper inertia and collision values to make the simulation as realistic as possible, and operated it within Gazebo – an open-source, 3D robotic simulator.

Future uses of his creation include testing ROLL-E 2.0 virtually on various inclines and terrains, including testing its ability to handle curbs and other obstacles.

Saving search time…

 

InDro Robotics is a busy place, with operations in Victoria, Vancouver, Salt Spring Island and Area X.O in Ottawa. Because we’re an R&D company, you can imagine the amount of documentation, part orders, purchase requests, receipts, shipping waybills, etc.

Trust us, it’s a lot of stuff.

Being able to drill down and find specific documents is time-consuming. And that task frequently falls to Office Manager Panfei Gu. What if, she thought, there was a way to have software take on some of that burden?

Panfei teamed up with Ella Hayashi from engineering. They quickly developed a plan. Ella would code a “Smart Search” that could parse its way through the various locations using keywords. The program works at the top directory searching every file in that directory and lower, opening folders as it goes. The Python script also was written so that if three keywords were entered, all three had to appear in the document before it would be displayed as a result.

The end result? A smarter way to search, and less time (and frustration) for Panfei in front of a monitor. Here’s a key page from their Power Point presentation, outlining some of the steps:

 

InDro Robotics

Downsizing

 

If you follow InDro, you’ll be aware of a device we call InDro Capsule. It’s essentially a module that vastly increases the capability of Enterprise drones using the Pixhawk flight controller. Those enhanced capabilities include:

  • Remote teleoperations over 4G, 5G
  • Dense data realtime downloads and uploads to the cloud
  • Broadcasting drone ops location to traditional crewed aircraft
  • Secure, encrypted data transmission and Command and Control

 The first generation of this product, InDro Pilot, is the hexagonal box you see on our Wayfinder in this photo:

Canada Drones

Shrinky, shrinky

 

There are advantages to making that capsule smaller and lighter. Reduced weight means greater flight efficiency. It also enables attaching this product to smaller drones.

In fact, we’ve already created a downsized V 2.0 of this product. But InDro’s Peter Sherk wondered if we could get it even smaller. And so that was his project, trying to downsize this module even further to a minimal size and weight. 

Interestingly, one of the most expensive components in his mini-capsule was finding a suitable connector cable that would work with the small version. We’d love to show you some of the detailed drawings and parts lists, but that would kind of give away the secret sauce of InDro Capsule.

So we’ll leave you with an image that gives you a sense of scale: The new and tiny InDro Capsule, sitting next to a standard sized banana:

Self Flying Drones

Multitasking router

 

Many of InDro’s products are meant to be teleoperated remotely over 4G and 5G networks. In fact, all of our drones and ground robots are customized with this feature, enabling remote operations hundreds or even thousands of kilometres away. (We have one upcoming deployment where an InDro pilot based in Vancouver will be conducting regular missions a continent away.)

All of those products use a modem/router where a SIM card is inserted to enable communication over telecom networks. But here’s the thing: Some of our clients do not require remote teleoperation. Universities, R&D companies and more are often using these products, particularly ground robots, indoors or in very close quarters outdoors. Yet they must still purchase a SIM card and data plan to remotely control these robots through a computer dashboard.

Area X.O’s Tirth Gajera had a better idea: To flash the firmware of our most-used modem/router to enable it to operate over WiFi. Pretty much every facility (if not all) where these units are being used internally or within small outdoor confines has a local WiFi network. Upgrading the capabilities of the modem/router would save those clients money.

Tirth’s work also enables the modem to scan for local SSID (network names), allowing the correct network to be selected. That means products like our remote inspection robot Sentinel could be put to work using a local area network, rather than using a SIM card and network plan.

InDro Robotics Sentinel

One-stop shopping

 

InDro now manufactures or resells a growing number of products. And many of those products themselves come in different iterations. For example, some clients want the Sentinel mentioned above to come equipped with a LiDAR sensor; others might want thermal and optical. We also resell – and modify – the Unitree line of quadruped robots. And more.

For the sales team, that has traditionally meant that data about specifications, custom integrations, images and costs are in different locations. As a result, getting a quick quote or answering a spec question for a customer requires some time looking things up. Wouldn’t it be easier, thought account executive Luke Corbeth (who handles the majority of sales), if we had a streamlined repository with all of this data easily accessible in one place?

Why yes. Yes, it would.

Luke built a highly structured database using workplace software Notion that does precisely that. It’s a secure platform, and allows Luke and others to quickly drill down to get the data or assets they need with minimal effort. We anticipate this will be a useful InDro tool moving forward.

Here’s a look at part of the overview of Luke’s project.

Build a Robot

And the Winners Are…

Following the presentation, a vote was held. And here are the results, from First Place to Third:

  • Peter Sherk, for solid plans to shrink down the InDro Capsule
  • Arron Griffiths, for the Sentinel dog house
  • Luke Corbeth for the sales and marketing database

Fourth went to Stephan Tzolov, for those amazing renders. Speaking of which, we’ll leave you with a bonus holiday greeting Stephan created as part of the package.

 

B1 Quadruped

InDro’s Take

 

The annual Hack-a-Thon is now an established part of InDro work culture, and a fun and special event for the entire company. It’s amazing seeing what those with an engineering background – and even those without one – can pull together in a very short amount of time. 

“This year’s Hack-a-Thon has once again produced products, processes and plans that will prove beneficial for InDro Robotics and its clients,” says CEO Philip Reece. “And while we do vote for ‘winners’ – every idea that came to the table has merit and potential use-cases. Kudos to everyone who took part, and I’m already looking forward to the 2023 edition.”

2022: A great year for InDro Robotics

2022: A great year for InDro Robotics

Dec 21, 2022 | InDro News, Philip Reece, Scott Simmie

By Scott Simmie

 

We thought, as we embark on a New Year, it might be fun to look back on the year that was. Specifically, to document some of the highlights that occurred within InDro Robotics.

Most of you are familiar with the company by now. For those who aren’t, InDro is a Research and Development company. We identify market needs and create new solutions we sell to clients. Sometimes companies (including very big ones) approach InDro and ask us to help them solve a problem. We also do service provision, deploying ground and aerial robots (drones) globally for complex tasks and data acquisition. In addition, we collaborate on many research projects, looking at new ways that technology can be put to positive use-cases.

You can get the Big Picture in this What InDro Does feature, but that’s it in a nutshell.

But what does that look R&D look like in the real world? Let’s recap our 2022 successes, starting with the launch of our Sentinel remote inspection robot.

InDro Robotics Sentinel

Remote inspection workhorse

 

Sentinel has been built, from the ground up, with one purpose in mind: To carry out remote inspections of facilities such as electrical substations or solar farms. These inspections are carried out over 4G or 5G, meaning the facility could be hundreds – even thousands – of kilometres away.

Sentinel’s rugged mobility has its roots in the workhorse Bunker platform. Featuring tread locomotion, it’s ideal for locations where the environment can at times be hostile. Mud, snow, ice are no deterrent. So that’s the brawn.

The brains come from InDro Robotics. Specifically, the addition of our InDro Commander module; the black and orange box sitting on top of the Bunker.

 

InDro Commander

InDro Commander

 

This module plays a significant role with Sentinel and other 2022 products. Commander is a bolt-on solution that enables remote teleoperations over 4G or 5G, as well as rapid sensor integration and other robot modifications. It contains a powerful Edge computer for onboard processing, as well as the complete Robot Operating System software libraries (ROS1 and ROS2). It’s literally Plug & Play – eliminating the time and hassle of manual sensor integration. You can get the full scoop on Commander here.

With Commander connected to the Bunker base, our engineers were ready to start customizing Sentinel. They added a 30x optical Pan-Tilt-Zoom (PTZ) camera – complete with a lens ‘windshield wiper’ for inclement weather – a thermal sensor and LiDAR. They also enabled wireless charging, and programmed optical recognition so that Sentinel can autonomously back up to its charging dock.

Plus, we made Sentinel super simple to operate. Running a dashboard on your laptop or desktop, you simply plug in an Xbox controller to control direction, speed and the camera’s PTZ functions. And the data? It comes into the dashboard with an easy-to-understand display. You can even customise it so that, for example, detection of a component with temperatures exceeding a predefined limit will set off an alert.

Below: A screengrab of the detailed Sentinel dashboard, during a mission you’ll hear about in a moment…

InDro Robotics

A substation solution

 

InDro developed Sentinel with remote teleoperation in mind. Specifically, for facilities like electrical substations, solar farms, etc. These installations are typically in rural locations, far from the nearest major city. They also tend to be unstaffed, requiring frequent inspection trips by human beings. In addition to scheduled monitoring, people are frequently dispatched following severe weather events to assess whether there’s been damage.

Wouldn’t it be easier to have a remotely teleoperated robot do the job on demand? We believe so.

In fact, we’re not the only ones with this kind of vision for remote inspection. One of the highlights of 2022 was being invited to Lenox, Massachusetts, by the Electric Power Research Institute, or EPRI. The non-profit institute is constantly carrying out research to look at how new technologies can be put to use to improve the generation and distribution of electrical power. Or, as it puts it, “driving innovation to ensure the public has clean, safe, reliable, affordable, and equitable access to electricity across the globe.”

It shares its findings with some 450 utilities and companies around the globe. And when it heard about Sentinel, InDro was invited down to its test facility. We spent a week there, putting Sentinel through its paces inspecting an EPRI test lab electrical substation. The facility can be energised or de-energised to determine whether electrical-magnetic fields interfere with test devices. It can simulate heavy rain through a set of overhead water pipes capable of drenching the facility. Plus, we ran the tests during the day and overnight, using both teleoperations and autonomous missions.

We were pleased with how Sentinel performed, and also learned a few things to even further tweak its capabilities. So Sentinel – which has been deployed as far away as a California solar farm – is definitely one of our 2022 highlights. You can learn more about our EPRI testing here.

Below: A video that offers a snapshot of key Sentinel features. This was Sentinel 1.0; we’ve since lowered the PTZ camera and made other enhancements.

The aerial side of things

 

While we’ve been looking at ground robots, InDro is very much involved in the world of drones. In fact, the company’s early years were pretty much exclusively devoted to R&D and service provision in the drone world. That’s still a large part of what we do.

An early 2022 highlight (and one of several) was our work with the Ottawa International Airport’s (YOW) Drone Detection Pilot Project. The program involves long-range drone detection hardware and software from InDro Robotics and micro-doppler radar detection from QinetiQ. Collectively, this technology provides a comprehensive look at any drone operations taking place in the vicinity of the airport – and beyond.

YOW, in conjunction with NAV Canada, is interested in getting a better picture of drone traffic in order to ensure the safety of crewed aircraft and to develop protocols should a Remotely Piloted Aircraft System pose a threat to traditional aircraft.

But data collected in early 2022 was an eye-opener. During the anti-vaccine mandate protests in Ottawa, InDro’s longer-range system detected drones flying in a restricted flight zone over Parliament Hill and elsewhere in the downtown Ottawa core, with a spike during police operations to clear the protests. A total of 27 different drones carried out 59 flights over a period of four days. Of those, 25 flights exceeded 400’ above ground level (Transport Canada’s limit, except in special circumstances). These flights all took place in restricted airspace. A small number were carried out by law enforcement, but the vast majority were not. Fifteen unique drone IDs were detected, and one flight took place at 1583′ AGL – nearly four times the legal altitude limit.

You’ll get a look at some of the data in the images below; you can also read an in-depth story here. The Ottawa Citizen also wrote about this. Finally, on the drone detection front, it’s worth noting that a sister company, Bravo Zulu Secure, specialises in both drone detection and mitigation.

 

Drone Detection

Expanding the capabilities of drones

 

InDro Robotics was a pioneer in remote operations, obtaining Canada’s first Special Flight Operations Certificates for Beyond Visual Line of Sight flights carried out over 4G and 5G networks. And we continue to push the envelope.

At our Area X.O facility, 2022 saw us successfully complete a technology challenge in conjunction with Ericsson, the Ontario Centre of Innovation, and the ENCQOR 5G network. The challenge involved building a drone with very specific capabilities, including enhanced BVLOS safety features and dense data transmission capabilities.

It was called the NERDs project – Network Enhanced Realtime Drone project. Here are some of the milestones it achieved:

  • Drone Command & Control (C2) over 5G
  • Transmission of telemetry back to the control station: altitude, speed, compass heading, high-precision GPS, battery level, ambient temperature, barometric pressure, etc.
  • Transmit ultra low-latency, uncompressed 4K video stream via 5G
  • Use a Software Defined Radio to transmit to nearby traditional aircraft that a drone operation in the area is underway

 

And how did we do it?

 

Area X.O took the lead on this project, building a module we call InDro Capsule. That capsule contained – among other things – a high-speed 5G modem, an Edge computer, and a software defined radio capable of informing crewed aircraft that a drone operation was taking place in the vicinity. Streaming, uncompressed 4K video also enhanced situational awareness for the pilot.

InDro Capsule has been designed to work with Enterprise drones using the Pixhawk flight controller. And so, just as the InDro Commander enables remote and secure teleoperations for ground robots, InDro Capsule is an add-on that can transform an Enterprise drone into a sophisticated BVLOS machine. If you’re interested in taking a deep dive on the NERDs project, InDro has produced a White Paper. You’ll find that here.

The first-generation InDro Capsule is that black hexagonal box seen below. InDro has now reduced its size and weight, and is currently deploying Capsule-enabled drones for remote industrial operations in South America. Those missions will be remotely tele-operated by Indro Robotics pilots in Canada.

Canada Drones

InDro Pilot

 

We knew the InDro Capsule module had the potential to truly transform the capabilities of Enterprise drones with Pixhawk flight controllers. And so we didn’t stop there. We built an entire platform to make the most of it. We call it InDro Pilot.

In a nutshell, it brings about both enhanced capabilities for the drone itself (ie 4G, 5G, dense data realtime uploads etc.) as well as enhanced options for the drone operator to further customize drone sensors and peripherals for any given mission via dashboard. All of that data is encrypted for secure download, direct-to-cloud upload, and Command & Control communication between the drone and our InDro Base ground station.

Because InDro Capsule enables the swift integration of additional sensors, we wanted to make that easy for the operator as well. InDro Pilot allows the pilot to customize their drone by simply adding software widgets for specific sensors. 

You can find more details in this post about InDro Pilot. But we’ll leave you with a glimpse of our winch widget. Others are available for LiDAR, thermal and other sensors. It’s simply drag and drop. We’ll be rolling out more about this in 2023, including the much smaller, commercial version of InDro Capsule.

InDro Robotics

ROLL-E and London Drugs

 

It was also quite a year for InDro delivery robots. Specifically, the deployment of our teleoperated ROLL-E and ROLL-E 2.0 in two separate pilot projects in conjunction with London Drugs.

The western Canadian retailer was initially interested in seeing how consumers might react to receiving curbside deliveries from a robot – and how such deliveries might fit into the company’s future plans. InDro had previously partnered with London Drugs to demonstrate the secure delivery of prescription drugs to remote locations via drone, so it was logical to partner up on this effort as well.

Because of the global pandemic, some consumers are more comfortable with curbside pickups rather than entering a store. So the first pilot project, at a single London Drugs location in Victoria, focussed on that. Customers would place their orders online; ROLL-E would deliver their order to a pickup point in the parking lot outside.

The results? People seemed to like the robot. And a local CTV reporter even had a little fun with ROLL-E.

A London Drugs store in Victoria is the first to test out a new remote controlled delivery robot for curbside service. https://t.co/aFOVT0iE1n— CTV News Vancouver Island (@CTVNewsVI) April 9, 2022

London Drugs, Part II

 

Those first curbside pickups were a success. And so we pushed ahead with a more sophisticated version of ROLL-E, coming up with a second-generation version. It has a secure and large cargo bay with a whopping 50kg capacity. And London Drugs was eager to try it out, this time for home deliveries in Surrey, BC.

ROLL-E 2.0 (which some employees have affectionately named “EVA”), featured some significant upgrades from the original, including:

  • A total of six cameras, including two sets of depth perception cameras at the front and rear for greater situational awareness for the operator
  • LED running lights, signal lights, brake lights
  • Greater all-weather protection and a touchscreen interface for customers

And how did it perform? Well, like this:

Good dog

 

The year 2022 also brought us a new product line, and a new partnership. Specifically, we’re talking about Unitree Robotics – a Chinese manufacturer of highly capable and affordable quadruped robots.

We’ve already been modifying these robots, adding on something we call the InDro Backpack. That’s the equivalent of the InDro Commander, which allows for teleoperations and additional sensor integration. We’ve even mounted a LiDAR sensor on one of the Unitree robots, with excellent results. We see a lot of potential for remote inspections with these machines in 2023. Indro Robotics is proud to be a North American distributor of the Unitree line.

Plus, these robots are just a lot of fun. Here’s InDro account executive Luke Corbeth with the entry-level GO-1:

Meet LIMO

 

2022 also saw the release of the LIMO robot, intended for educational purposes, R&D and more. As a distributor in North America, we’ve delivered LIMO to many clients who have been doing their own R&D work with this very versatile and smart machine. It comes, out-of-the-box, with the following:

  • An NVIDIA Jetson Nano, capable of remote teleoperation over 4G
  • An EAI X2L LiDAR unit
  • Stereo camera
  • Four steering modes (tracked, Ackerman, four-wheel differential, and omni-directional)

Customers love this thing – and so do we. If you’d like to learn more about LIMO, check this out.

LIMO

TCXpo

 

One of our highlights of the year was the TCXpo, a major public event put on by Transport Canada, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, and Area X.O. InDro Robotics was one of the sponsors. Many Canadian technology companies were displaying their products, with an emphasis on Smart Mobility and other IoT devices.

InDro had its robots out in full swing; CEO Philip Reece was in charge of the airspace for the drone demonstrations – and a moderator for one of the excellent panel discussions. It was amazing to see the range of technologies on display and a clear sign that Smart Mobility is well on its way. Even the rain didn’t dampen the excitement.

You’ll hear a bit from Philip at the 2:18 mark of this video, and see him at 2:49.

Wait, there’s more!

 

Thanks for getting this far. We know you’ve got other things to do in 2023, so we’ll put a bow on this quickly with a few additional things we were up to in 2022.

Sister company Aerometrix continued its work doing methane detection and monitoring, using InDro Robotics pilots to carry out the work. The company has mapped methane emissions at petrochemical plants, gas wells, landfills – and even on agricultural sites. More on that work here.

We embarked on major long-term research at the University of British Columbia, in conjunction with Rogers, Honeywell and others. The project will use AI to help predict energy requirements for drone flights, taking into account payload, weather conditions, etc. It will also examine the capacity for 5G to carry out multiple simulataneous drone missions with minimal latency and interference. It will even compare the relative energy requirements of hydrogen-powered drones versus traditional LiPo batteries. Many more details can be found here.

We also launched FLYY, an online drone learning portal featuring one of Canada’s most recognized and respected instructors – InDro’s own Kate Klassen. If you’re looking to obtain your Basic or Advanced RPAS Certificate, schedule a Flight Review – or take a deeper dive into many other other drone course offerings – you’ll find it at FLYY. And if you’re part of an educational or company program, we offer group discounts. Email Kate for more info here.

Drone Training

Ssshhhhhh… it’s secret!

 

Finally, InDro continued work – and embarked on new work – with some very high-profile global clients in 2022. We can’t name names here due to NDAs, but we’re very pleased to be working on such interesting projects with such amazing companies. Trust us on this one; cool stuff is happening.

InDro’s Take

 

A company is, ultimately, only as good as its team. The accomplishments of 2022 reflect the skills, dedication and hard work of InDro employees in Vancouver, Victoria and at our Area X.O office in Ottawa.

“I’m incredibly proud of the work InDro accomplished in 2022,” says InDro CEO Philip Reece. “Our engineering and sales staff consistently punch above their weight, with multiple significant milestones – including excellent revenue growth – achieved in the past year. Just as gratifying is the fact our employees love what they do.”

That’s very true. On behalf of InDro Robotics, we wish you a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous 2023.

We look forward to sharing more as the year unfolds.

CONTACT

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

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

E: Info@InDroRobotics.com

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