A Q&A with Volatus Aerospace CEO Glen Lynch

A Q&A with Volatus Aerospace CEO Glen Lynch

Jan 25, 2022 | Drone News, Industry News, Scott Simmie

By Scott Simmie, InDro Robotics

If you’re in Canada, odds are you’ve heard of Volatus Aerospace by now.

And that’s not surprising. The company has grown, and quickly, through a number of strategic mergers and acquisitions. As a result, it’s now offering a wide variety of drone services across multiple sectors – and in several countries.

That growth, and the selection of companies, have been highly strategic.

The companies Volatus has acquired are now part of The Volatus Aerospace Group. Collectively, they offer a broad swath of specialized drone services, ranging from industrial inspections, digital twins and heavy-lift capacity through to sales and one-off aerial photography and videography services. Plus, parent company Volatus is also in the game. It will soon be operating a manufacturing facility at the Lake Simcoe Regional Airport, producing two different UAVs. And it has ambitious plans in the heavy-lift drone cargo sector.

The company’s CEO is Glen Lynch, who enjoyed a long and successful career in the traditional aerospace world prior to entering the UAV space. Here’s a look at the firm’s overall offerings, taken from its website:

Drone Services

That’s a pretty ambitious palette. But Volatus has been very targeted in its acquisitions. It has focused on companies that were already specialists in their own respective niches. Pull them together under a single umbrella and you’ve got the makings of synergy – where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

You’ve also got the groundwork for “One-stop shopping” when it comes to drone service provision, and even the purchase of certain drones. It’s the only company in Canada we’re aware of that has taken this approach at scale. As a result, Volatus has quickly become a household name, at least in those Canadian households familiar with the UAV scene.

Before we get to our interview with Volatus CEO Glen Lynch, let’s find out more.

Drone Training

What’s under the hood?

 

Here’s a brief look at the companies within the Volatus portfolio.

Canadian UAV Services. The Ontario-based company has been in business for seven years (as of early 2022) and offers a number of services. They include: Inspection, surveys, GIS, aggregate mining data capture and more.

Connexicore. The Philadephia-based company offers a wide range of professional drone services. Connexicore operates somewhat like a hub, connecting jobs with its North American network of 1,000 freelance pilots. Those pilots fly with certification under the FAA’s Part 107.

M3 Drone Services. Based in Manitoba, M3 provides UAV services across a broad number of sectors, as well as training. The company offers its services Canada-wide.

OmniView Tech. This firm is the largest drone repair centre in Canada. The company distributes DJI products to retailers and sells them directly, as well as other drones and specialized sensors.

Skygate Videography. Located in Prince Edward Island, Skygate offers training, drone videography and inspection services.

UAViation Aerial Solutions. With offices in Vancouver and Edmonton, UAViation provides a range of aerial services, including photography, photogrammetry, LiDAR etc. Founded in 2015, its website says the firm has carried out some 4,000 flights, logging 1000+ flying hours in more than 500 locations.

MVT Geo-Solutions Inc. Volatus has announced an agreement to acquire the Quebec-based firm. According to a news release, its “services include data collection, processing, and analysis to a variety of industries including civil engineering, transport, hydrography, natural resource management, forestry, and public safety.”

And, finally…

Partner Jet/Volatus Aviation. This charter passenger jet and aircraft management firm is located at Pearson International Airport. It was the initial starting point for what has become the Volatus Aerospace Group. The company will also play a role in future Volatus plans, such as heavy lift cargo drones, some of which would require aircraft runways. The company owns and operates the Citation X jet seen below.

Volatus

Glen Lynch, CEO

With all of that background, we’ll now hop into our Q&A with Glen Lynch, Volatus CEO.

Q: What’s the elevator pitch for Volatus?

A: To understand the company, you need to understand where we came from. It’s a company that kind of grew from the aviation industry. When we looked at the drone market, we realized there was an exploding opportunity – basically an industry that was rocketing out of a nascent phase – but there were no operators of any real scale. It was basically an industry that was being served by small businesses, with the exception of companies like InDro. Very capable small business, but small business nonetheless. That’s what we saw as being the opportunity.

So what we did was, basically accumulated a number of businesses through M&A (merger and acquisition) activities that had two characteristics: A strategic location and a complementary capability. And then we consolidated them using a roll-up strategy to create what’s now one of the larger fully-integrated drone services and drone technology companies. And that’s basically who we are. We cover now all of Canada, all of the United States, and we’re starting to have some penetration now in Latin America – we have an office in Bogota, an office in Lima Peru, and business activities as far south as Chile.

Q: The Volatus Aerospace Group holds a number of companies that are all specialists in specific areas. Could you provide more details about how you selected these companies?

A: Once you identify the first company – the principle of that company usually has other companies they’re interested in. So it becomes somewhat of a referral, because the relationships already exist. And the one thing that’s particularly core: When you have an M&A strategy that’s as active as ours, we need to be able to acquire companies and retain the leadership. One of the things I’m most proud of with Volatus is that we’ve retained 100 per cent of our leadership through the acquisitions – and that allows us to scale more rapidly. Well, to be able to retain leadership there has to be a cultural fit. Oftentimes, favourable referrals from people who are already fitting with the group almost becomes a natural screening process…

At the end of the day, we’re looking for good fits. And we’ve been really fortunate to find some really talented individuals that have built some really great companies and have shared the vision of Volatus and we’ve been able to entice them to join us.

Volatus

Q: A little over a year ago, Volatus wasn’t exactly a household name. Now, you’d be hard-pressed to find someone in the drone world who hasn’t heard of you. How did you scale so quickly?

A: I would say that probably it’s something I’d love to take credit for. But the reality is, we have some really talented people, people like Rob Walker, who’s a well-educated, award-winning marketing professional. And we created an umbrella branding strategy, so at the end we’re pushing a common brand. We’re very careful not to lose the brand equity in our subordinate brands but we push out a single brand proposition, I would say, throughout the marketplace. And, again, it’s really driven by the people that become part of Volatus: They become proud of the brand, they become associated with the brand, and the brand naturally grows. On top of that we’ve hired a very large business development and sales team that work right now across Canada and the United States. And actually our office in Lima Peru has three business development people in that office as well. So we’re out there. We participate in a lot of trade shows. We spend a fair amount of money in marketing, but we try to be very, very balanced in our approach to investment and general brand awareness. And we really target places that we can generate revenues today. So we keep an eye on the blue sky, we prepare for the blue sky, but we very much focus on the places that we can actually achieve revenue activities in the near term.

 Q: You and your VP both have an extensive background in traditional aviation. What advantage does that give you in the drone world?

A: Luc Massé, who’s executive Vice-President, he was one of the driving forces in what is now one of largest aircraft companies in Canada. Funny enough, he was one of my competitors for many years in that space. But there are a few things, I guess. It helps us have a very comfortable awareness of the realities of operating in a regulated environment.

When we’re collecting data, that’s one type of service. When you’re carrying something that belongs to somebody else?  That becomes a cargo service. By definition that’s a commercial air service. So there’s a whole new range of requirements there, for example economic authority as well as just operating authority. As you know, InDro was one of the first companies to do this, they have a Canadian Transportation Agency Cargo License. And right now, to the best of my knowledge – I may be missing somebody – there are only three companies in Canada that actually hold that economic authority: (InDro), Drone Delivery Canada and ourselves at Volatus Aviation, which was formerly Partner Jet. So it really helps us position for the future, having that understanding of aviation, because largely on the cargo side, we kind of know where the industry is headed. There’s a convergence there, between manned and unmanned aircraft.

Volatus

Q: Volatus is pretty diversified in the drone world. Is there a particular area you’re involved with that you’re most excited about for the future?

A: I would say our major areas of interest in 2022, other than continuing to scale our existing business..in terms of new growth areas it would perhaps be drone cargo activities. And drone cargo for Volatus means ship-to-shore, shore-to-ship, ship-to-ship, remote communities, inter-island type activities: Things that we can do either because they’re eligible under the current regulatory framewok, or actually they can build a risk profile that will allow us to get authorization to operate under special circumstances. So that’s a big area of focus for us this year, we’re putting a lot of investment – as you’ll see in the near future – in that space.

And the other one is in public safety. Drones as First Responders is becoming. a major thing; there’s literally tens of thousands of law enforcement agencies, let alone other public safety agencies like the emergency health response units,  firefighting, Search & Rescue, all of those sorts of things. So those are two big areas of focus for us in 2022.

Note: Soon after our interview, Volatus announced its intention to purchase a planned Natilus N3.8T Large Remotely Piloted Cargo Drone. The twin-engine turboprop blended-wing aircraft has a maximum gross takeoff weight of 8,618 kilograms (about 19,000 pounds) and is capable of carrying 3,855 kilograms of cargo (8,500 pounds). This machine, slated to be delivered in 2025, will obviously require traditional airport infrastructure and significant advances in Unmanned Traffic Management. There will also be some fairly high regulatory hurdles to be cleared in order to operate a vehicle of this scale.

“The recent amalgamation with Partner Jet Inc. gives us the commercial infrastructure to operate drone cargo services, and the addition of Natilus aircraft establishes the long-term direction for our aviation division,” said Lynch in this post announcing the news. Here’s the Natilus promotional video, which offers a CGI version of the planned craft:

Q: You were listed recently on the TSX (VOL). What does this listing mean for the Volatus group?

A: Getting to the public listing was one journey, but now the heavy lifting begins. If we handle ourselves correctly, it’s an opportunity to demonstrate good governance and a serious, solid, well-run corporation. So that’s up to us to deliver on that. But the second thing that it does, it gives us access to capital markets, which allows us to – especially as the company grows in value – allows us to access capital that will continue to allow us to grow through acquisitions or fund organic growth internally through ramp-up of inventory and those sorts of things. So that’s the primary objective is really to give us the mechanism to scale.

InDro’s take

 

Volatus has emerged quickly and appears to have significant momentum. In addition to its other operations, the company is currently setting up a large manufacturing facility at the Lake Simcoe Airport, where it will be producing two UAVS. Glen Lynch, as CEO, has both the business and traditional aviation background to guide the company as the industry moves toward the world of Advanced Air Mobility (AAM), where new types of short-range aircraft will be sharing the skies with drones. We wish the Volatus team well.

Skygauge and the rise of task-specific drones

Skygauge and the rise of task-specific drones

Dec 13, 2021 | Drone News, Engineering, Industry News, Robotics, Scott Simmie

Today, we take a dive into a pretty cool drone company.

That company is Skygauge Robotics. It’s a Canadian firm featuring an innovative drone design purpose-built for highly specialized inspections. It’s unconventional and breaks the traditional quadcopter mold.

And what is that mold? Four fixed motors, four fixed rotors – and a common sensor.

 

Tried and true…

 

With rare exceptions – such as fixed-wing drones and fixed-wing VTOLs for longer-range missions – most drones are variations on the above theme. The quad-rotor design has become the industry workhorse, and rightfully so. Quad-copters (or X8 configurations) are reliable, maneuverable, and they get most jobs done. The main differentiator between these drones, when it comes to use-case scenarios, has been sensors/payload.

End-users tend to either purchase drones with the sensors needed for the job or get a machine that allows you to swap payloads.

For a recreational pilot, that sensor is nearly always a camera. First Responders often want drones with thermal capabilities, allowing them to assess fires or search for missing persons (particularly at night) by identifying their heat signature. Other end-users might require LiDAR, precision agriculture sensors – even molecular sniffers that can detect gas leaks, the presence of toxic chemicals or measure overall air quality. Plus, of course, some operators simply want to move goods, meaning the payload is the cargo itself (though always with a camera).

All good, right? Well, to a point.

Though there’s been a rapid growth in sensors, there are some jobs for which the standard quadcopter design simply isn’t well-suited. Tasks like inspecting ductwork, chimneys, the interior of large pipes or other confined spaces are generally not a great fit for quads. Identifying that shortfall is what led Flyability to create the ground-breaking Elios (and now, Elios 2) drone.

Though technically still a quad, the Elios flies within its own collision-resistant cage, allowing it to go places where other drones cannot. If you haven’t seen it before, check out the video.

Specialized drone designs

 

The point is that, in addition to new sensors, we’re now seeing the development of highly specialized drones for specific applications. The UK firm HausBots is another company with a very different spin on traditional drone design. Its machine can seemingly defy gravity by “sticking” to walls as it climbs them using wheels. It uses rotors to create the pressure differential necessary for it to be held against the wall.

HausBots are being used for visual inspection, Non-Destructive Testing – even tasks like painting. As you’ll see, it gets up close and personal with the surface in a way that would not be possible with a standard quadcopter design:

 

Skygauge Robotics

 

With that context out of the way, we wanted to introduce you to an innovative Canadian company called Skygauge Robotics. It has created a very unique drone intended for very specific applications. Its design is unlike anything else we’ve seen.

And why is that? Well, the motors (and protected rotors) can be vectored to direct thrust. This allows the drone to be positioned in ways that would be impossible with a standard quadcopter design. Instead of simply hovering parallel to the ground, the Skygauge machine can vector its eight motors to allow the drone to hold its position (or maneuvre) while the entire machine is at a pilot-defined angle. This can include even contact with the surface of a structure while remaining in hover.

Before we get into why that matters, just take a look at this short video from Skygauge. Though it has eight motors, this is definitely not a traditional drone design.

The drone reinvented

 

We’ve borrowed that headline from the Skygauge website, along with this definition: “The Skygauge uses patented thrust-vectoring technologyto achieve the most stable and precise flight of any drone yet, making it ideal for carrying out industrial work.”

And, says Skygauge, this design is perfectly suited to a specific type of application: Ultrasonic testing, which requires a probe to make contact with the surface of the object of interest. Check out this video, which shows the Skygauge system in action:

Non-Destructive Testing

 

That probe is using ultrasound to carry out Non-Destructive Testing, or NDT. This kind of testing can measure the thickness of metal walls, protective coatings and more. The Skygauge drone comes equipped with an Olympus 38DL Plus gauge, capable of collecting a wide range of data. With swappable tips on the probe, even the integrity of weld joints or corrosion can be assessed.

In the absense of a suitable drone, such tests would normally have to be carried by a person holding this sensor up against a surface. In sectors like oil & gas or shipping, this requires scaffolding and even expensive shutdowns so that a human being can safely carry out these tests.

The Skyguage system offers massive efficiencies, with many inspections carried out in a single day by a two-person crew – and without requiring mechanical shut-downs. It’s the only drone using this design we’ve seen (though companies like Voliro Airborne Robotics are also in the NDT sphere with new styles of drones).

Funny thing is, the Skygauge drone was not initially designed with these applications in mind.

 

Indro Idea Lightbulb

Cart before the horse…

 

We spoke with CEO Nikita Iliushkin about his company, and how it got started back in 2016. Interestingly, co-founder and Chief Design Officer Linar Ismagilov invented the design before figuring out precisely what the final use-case scenario would be. A Mechanical Engineer, Ismagilov simply knew there would be applications for a drone that could come into physical contact with a surface – and Iliushkin (who attended the Schulich School of Business) could also see the potential:

“At the time, we didn’t know exactly what it would be capable of doing, we just thought it was a cool project to work on,” explains Iliushkin.

Next step? The duo succeeded in finding another Founder (a fortuitous match made via AngelList in seven days).

“That’s literally like finding a partner on any dating site and marrying them within a week,” laughs Iliushkin. “It’s like, technically, that’s possible – but the odds are one in a 1,000, one in 10,000.”

Roadblocks

 

Skygauge Robotics was on its way, though it quickly discovered that even startups with a great idea can face challenges when it comes to attracting capital.

“No investors would fund us – so we initially funded the first prototype on our student loans,” continues Iliushkin, who had luckily invested in Bitcoin. He cashed out his stock in late 2017 and put all of it in the company.

With that capital, Skygauge built its first flying model and was able to start testing the capabilities of the product. One thing was immediately clear.

“This design had radically different capabilities that other drones do not,” he says.

 

A solution in search of a problem

 

Its maneuverability and ability to make contact with a surface meant this drone would be a good fit for a variety of aerial tasks, including painting or even power-washing. But as Ismagilov refined the technical elements, Iliushkin focused on exploring business use-cases, looking to find the niche that might best suit this highly unusual design. It was during this phase that he discovered Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) using ultrasonic sensors. They knew they had a fit.

“The same way that doctors use ultrasound to see inside of people, drones can use ultrasound to see inside of metals,” explains Iliushkin. The team quickly realized its drone could be used for this kind of inspection on virtually any metal infrastructure – everything from offshore drilling platforms to ships to petroleum refineries.

“What we found was that drones today can’t do this and apply consistent force to take these readings. So drones have largely not seen adoption in this contact-based work.”

As the company’s website explains:

“Large challenges exist in the NDT industry surrounding worker safety and high-cost inspections. Using a drone would eliminate worker risk, cut downtime, and reduce costs associated with equipment rental. Thus, the Skygauge was conceived. With the help of CTO Maksym Korol, the drone’s engineering was refined and advanced. Together, the three founders assembled a team of highly capable engineers and set out to revolutionize the industrial inspection industry.”

And some of those inspection jobs? Using people, they can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars in scaffolding, shutdown costs and protective gear. Skygauge Robotics could disrupt the old way of doing things.

 

A ringing endorsement

 

The Skyguage Robotics team approached Dave Kroetsch, the former President/CEO/CTO of Aeryon Labs – which designed and manufactured high-performance UAS for military, public safety, and critical infrastructure inspection. Aeryon was purchased by FLIR in 2019 for $200 million, and Kroetsch was looking to share his expertise with other startups.

Though Kroetsch was actively assisting startups in other tech spaces, he wasn’t particularly looking to jump back into the drone world. But once he heard the pitch from Skygauge Robotics in late 2019, he could see the company was definitely onto something.

“Instead of just another quadrotor, Vertical Takeoff and Landing craft that had been done 10 ways till Sunday…These guys came with a platform that was different, funded well enough that they could actually execute,” Kroetsch tells us.

He could also see, in this startup, echoes of the early Aeryon days – which resonated with him.

“I continue to tell the stories, regale the new startups about the challenges of making things fly and how much harder it is than things that operate on the ground,” he says. “When your code crashes and the drone crashes, it’s not just like it just sits there and stops working: It falls out of the sky and crashes spectacularly or flies away or something of that nature. So it’s definitely a hard business.”

Kroetsch has expertise not only as an engineer, but also a highly successful entrepreneur. He knew that the current enterprise market for standard quadrotor drones was pretty much saturated – and that significant money would not materialize for simply another variation on a theme.

But the Skygauge team had something new. In fact, so new and innovative that CEO Iliushkin and Chief Design Officer Ismagilov were singled out for recognition on the Forbes 30 under 30 list.  

“What they had was something very innovative. I’d seen the simplicity of a quadrotor design, but also the limitations. And that limitation is being able to do that (contact) work at height,” explains Kroetsch. “For me this is a capability that opens up a whole new swath of opportunity.”

(Here’s Dave, below, in a screengrab from our interview.)

A huge market

 

Skygauge Robotics could see there was a huge potential market. Kroetsch quickly realized this, as well. And when he accompanied the Skygauge Robotics team to a recent conference for the oil & gas sector in Texas, the reaction from the convention floor confirmed it. People came to the booth throughout the show, saying this was precisely the kind of solution needed.

And, says Kroetsch, he’s continuing to learn of more use-cases for the Skygauge product.

“One is doing tank inspection inside of tanker ships,” he says.

“Today they’ll drain the oil out of tank, then actually fill it with water, and put a boat in it and put inspectors on that boat as they take measurements and whatnot from the inside. As you can imagine, this is generating thousands of gallons of contaminated water, at a cost of millions of dollars to deal with this in an environmentally friendly manner. So to be able to go and do some of these applications in some of these environments without the environmental footprint I think is really, really valuable.”

Kroetsch says the documentation and governance he saw when coming on board was also quite “mature” for a young startup, likely owing to CEO Nikita Iliushkin’s business training.

And it’s that business head that has Skygauge Robotics opting not to sell its product the traditional way.

 

Leasing model

 

Skygauge is now taking orders (and deposits) from customers interested in leasing its drones on an annual basis. We’ve seen this model with Percepto, and suspect it will grow in popularity – particularly for highly specialized drones. Under the leasing model, customers will receive upgrades as the technology improves.

Dave Kroetsch believes it’s the best approach for both the company and its customers.

“One of the benefits of a leasing model comes from the continuous improvement and change in technology. It makes sense (to purchase outright) when you’re buying a dump truck; that dump truck is going to operate exactly the way you need it to for the next 15 years, whatever your useable life of the vehicle is. An asset like this is very different. You’re going to want the continuous improvements that are coming.”

 

Coming soon

 

Skygauge Robotics is now on the fourth iteration of its NDT drone and is gearing up production to start shipping to customers, likely in Q1 2022. Kroetsch is not only confident in the capabilities of this product, but believes we’ll see more and more highly specialized drones come to market in future.

“Absolutely,” he says. “Indisputably. What we will see going forward in the (drone) industry at large is specialization of manufacturers and of products tailored to a specific market.” 

Skygauge CEO Iliushkin knows the market is there. He’s done an immense amount of research over the years, learning along the way that most refineries and offshore oil platforms etc. have already adopted the standard quadcopter for visual inspections. But their maintenance crews and engineers, he says, have been clamouring for an NDT solution.

“The drone industry has reached an inflection point for drones for visual inspection. The next leap is going to be in this ultrasonic testing space.”

And Skygauge Robotics? It’s ready for contact.

 

InDro’s view:

 

As a company focused on engineering and R&D, InDro Robotics celebrates innovation. We’re pleased to see the progress Skygauge Robotics has made – and also applaud that this is a Canadian company.

Because we build our own specialized solutions for end-users, we also agree with the assessments from Kroetsch and CEO Iliushkin: The future of drones and robotics will become increasingly specialized, with task-specific products for the markets and clients that require them. (That’s why we’ve developed products like ROLL-E and Commander.)

We wish Skygauge Robotics all the best – and look forward to seeing this unique piece of engineering in action.

The amazing, unusual robots of Squishy Robotics

The amazing, unusual robots of Squishy Robotics

Oct 29, 2021 | Industry News, Robotics, Scott Simmie

By Scott Simmie, InDro Robotics

 

When we think of robots, a few different images can come to mind.

You might envision something like Spot, the dog-like ground robot built by Boston Dynamics. You might also think of an Uncrewed Ground Vehicle, or UGV, such as the AgileX Scout 2.0. You might even think of a walking, talking machine from some sci-fi film. And sure, they’re all robots. For that matter, even a Roomba vacuum cleaner is a robot.

Before we hop in further, we’d like to drop in this definition, from Brittanica.com:

“any automatically operated machine that replaces human effort, though it may not resemble human beings in appearance or perform functions in a humanlike manner. By extension, robotics is the engineering discipline dealing with the design, construction, and operation of robots.”

Robots can come in unexpected shapes and sizes

Today, we’re going to look at a very atypical robot that really intrigues us. It’s made by a US company called Squishy Robotics. Why Squishy? Well, it’s because of the form factor of these unique devices. They are, actually, squishy. And that form factor allows Squishy’s robots to do things that others cannot.

Let’s take a look at an introductory video. It gives a great high-level overview of what the product does, and why it’s built the way it is: 

Use-case scenarios

As you likely noted in the video, these robots can be dropped from significant heights without damage. So in situations where you can’t easily get a drone to the ground, they can be deployed simply by dropping them from the air. Squishy has done tests dropping from up to 1,000′ from fixed-wing crewed aircraft and helicopters. (In North America, drones are generally limited to 400′ Above Ground Level).

As the Squishy website explains, “We provide sensor robots that can be air-deployed into hazardous areas to furnish persistent, ground-level, real-time data for your operations.”

Static or mobile

The company has two different flavours of Squishy Robots. One version is static, and simply reports back from a stationary position after it’s been dropped (or tossed). There’s also a version that can move itself using a rolling motion. Here’s CEO and Co-Founder Dr. Alice Agogino:

“We have both a Stationary Robot and a Mobile Robot. Our Stationary Robot is currently being used by several pilot partners,” she says. “Of course, some situations require mobility, but our customer discovery determined that deploying our stationary tensegrity sensor unit (either by drone or by tossing) provided an ideal solution to improve the efficiency and increase the safety of emergency responders and the public. The robot’s six camera and sensor could provide—and continuously update—the immediate situational awareness that emergency personnel need to respond to a crisis.”

And these little devices do a lot. We’ve borrowed, with permission, this graphic from the Squishy Robotics website. It helps to explain what its robots do:

 

Squishy Robotics Feature

There are multiple use-cases for such a device. Imagine, for example, there’s been a dangerous gas leak. One of the Squishy Robots comes equipped with a sensor that can ‘sniff’ the levels of four different gases: CO, H2S, LEL, O2. That same robot has six cameras for full 360° coverage and a GPS. Because it creates its own mesh network, data can be shared with its operator even in situations where a cellular network is down.

We asked Dr. Agogino what she feels differentiates the company’s products from other robots.

“A key differentiator is that our air-deployed robots can get to places that ground robots cannot easily access,” she says.

“We can fly over rivers or wreckage and debris from natural disasters, for example. Some ground robots can manage travel around such obstacles, but our tensegrity robots can get there faster and send data sooner than a ground-based robot. Our robots can also be deployed by humans—someone can easily throw or toss one of our lightweight robots over a fence or a rescuer could drop them down a mineshaft or into a cave. Those actions aren’t possible with a heavy robot with so many breakable components.”

In an earthquake scenario, a Squishy Robot could be tossed into a building at risk of collapse. It would provide eyes on the ground, be able to sniff for dangerous gases, and – depending on the model – potentially move by rolling around. It’s pretty easy to see the utility here, and how such a device would aid First Responders in gathering data before sending people inside.

How did Squishy Robotics begin?

Good question. And the answer is found on the company’s website.

“Squishy Robotics is a spinoff of research at UC Berkeley with NASA to develop planetary probes for space exploration. The probe could orbit a planet and drop to the surface and survive to provide scientific monitoring. Squishy Robotics has commercialized this technology for a range of applications on planet Earth: disaster response, military applications, Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), and package delivery.”

We can certainly envision situations where these devices could be put to good use in the Public Safety, Industrial/Enterprise, and even Military sectors. We particularly like that these devices could be safely dropped by drone, meaning decision-makers would be able to gather more data before dispatching human beings into potentially hazardous situations.

A solid team

Squishy Robotics is a majority female-owned startup. CEO Dr. Alice Agogino’s research has included work on machine learning, sensor fusion and a specialty called “tensegrity robotics” – which was referred to earlier. We looked up a definition for this one, and found the following here:

“Soft spherical tensegrity robots are novel steerable mobile robotic platforms that are compliant, lightweight, and robust. The geometry of these robots is suitable for rolling locomotion, and they achieve this motion by properly deforming their structures using carefully chosen actuation strategies.”

Squishy Robotics dropped from drone
Squishy Robotics on the ground
In addition to her work as CEO, Dr. Agogino’s bio states that she’s “currently the Roscoe and Elizabeth Hughes Professor of Mechanical Engineering and is affiliated faculty at the Haas School of Business at the University of California at Berkeley.”
Alice Agogino

What’s next for Squishy Robotics?

We asked Dr. Agogino that question. And it looks like there are some interesting developments on the horizon.

“We are working to develop an innovative solution for increasing the number of methane inspections and the quality of recorded measurement data with our robots,” she says.

“Methane is the second most common greenhouse gas and accounts for approximately 20 percent of global emissions. Identifying methane emissions requires improved tracking and analysis and will need to incorporate tracking at remote and often unmanned sources, such as at orphan wells and pipelines.”

Squishy Robots are currently being deployed – with very positive results – by a number of partners. In fact, the capabilities of these devices were designed with those end-users in mind.

“We listened to our future users and honed our robots to their specifications and needs. I think that is why we get positive feedback from virtually all the First Responder and military personnel that have tested and used our robots,” says Dr. Agogino.

“We have several ongoing pilot partnerships with U.S. fire departments that are putting our robots to work out in the field in real life emergencies.”

InDro’s Take:

We’re alway keeping our eyes out for unusual robots that break the mold and offer something of value. Squishy Robotics definitely fits this criteria. The ability to drop these devices from a significant height – directly into a situation that could be very hazardous for humans – is something we haven’t seen elsewhere. It doesn’t surprise us that this design emerged from research for planetary exploration.

And now, these devices are available for exploration on our own planet. If you’d like more information, you’ll find it at the Squishy Robotics website.

Oh, and if you’re aware of another intriguing robot you think we should write about, feel free to flag me here.

 

Advanced Air Mobility: A primer

Advanced Air Mobility: A primer

Oct 28, 2021 | Advanced Air Mobility, eVTOL, Industry News, Scott Simmie, Uncrewed Traffic Management

By Scott Simmie, InDro Robotics

 

The world of drones and aerospace is laden with acronyms. UAVs, VTOL and BVLOS are but a few of the terms frequently kicked around. But there’s another one that’s starting to gain traction. It’s AAM, or Advanced Air Mobility. We thought it would be worth having a look at what this means, and what the implications are as we head into the future of aerospace: A world where crewed and uncrewed aircraft take on new roles, while safely sharing the airspace.

There are a few definitions of AAM kicking around, but we particularly like this thorough take from Delloitte Insights:

“Advanced air mobility (AAM) – the emergence of transformative airborne technology to transport people and goods in new, community-friendly, and cost-effective aircraft in both rural and urban environments – represents the next inflection point in the aerospace industry’s ongoing evolution.5 AAM is expected to be the next significant change in mobility and perhaps the global economy, as it could lead to fundamentally new capabilities and applications that were previously not feasible. AAM technologies promise to transform how people and cargo are moved…”

Inflection point

 

So it’s a pretty big deal. And while “inflection point” makes us stand up and pay attention, what might this mean in practical terms? Well, for one thing we’ll see the emergence of a new category of aircraft, the eVTOL. This means an electrically powered, zero emission machine that can take off and land vertically. This eliminates the need for runways and the kind of support services (such as aviation fuel storage, hangars) required at even smaller regional airports. Some of these eVTOLs might require a pilot, but many will operate like drones – carrying goods, or people, without requiring a crew.

We asked InDro Robotics CEO Philip Reece what he envisions this new age will bring.

“Having short- to medium-range aerial options for transporting cargo – and even people – will bring multiple benefits: Using electricity or hydrogen for power will be better for the environment and these aircraft will reduce road congestion. It will also expand access for many to regional air travel due to lower infrastructure costs: Think many ‘Vertiports’ instead of large airports.

“Advanced Air Mobility will also boost jobs and skills in new areas, as well as access to resources including consumables and medical supplies. There are many cut-off communities in Canada, including some that do not have year-round road access. The list goes on. While these are only some ideas at the moment, once the communities grow into the infrastructure, new industries and solutions will rapidly come to light.”

This era is coming…

A number of companies are already building and testing such aircraft. One of the best-known is China’s EHang, which is manufacturing the EH-216 Autonomous Aerial Vehicle, or AAV. It can carry two passengers or cargo. In a future not too far removed, you might be able to summon this aircraft to a nearby landing pad with a smartphone app (think Uber), and have it deliver you, or critical cargo, from a congested urban centre to a nearby city in minutes.

There’s a growing number of other companies in this field, as well. They include Lilium, Joby Aviation, and Volocopter – to name just a few. Some of the designs – many of which have been made possible by the technology that powers drones – are pretty amazing. (If you’re interested in seeing some of these vehicles, check out this Aviation Today article.)

It’s also worth mentioning Jaunt Air Mobility. Though the company originated in the US, it now has offices and a highly experienced leadership team in Montreal. The company’s patented design is like a fixed-wing helicopter, promising an estimated range of up to 160 kilometres, with a top speed of up to 280 kph. Once in forward flight, the main rotor slows and functions like an autogyro, providing lift while saving energy. Here’s a description from its website:

“Jaunt is the global leader in slowed rotor compound (SRC) technology. Our patented technology slows the rotor once aloft (the rotor tip speed equaling the aircraft’s pace) thereby reducing drag and associated vibration. In combination with a small wing sized for cruise, this produces a lift to drag ratio equivalent to a fixed wing airplane providing an exceptionally efficient flight with very low noise. Noise that is practically imperceptible in flight.”‘

Although its video is CGI, the company is *very* real, and the vehicle it’s building is based on a field-proven design:

So that’s one part of the Advanced Air Mobility picture: New, electrically powered aircraft that carry passengers or cargo to nearby communities currently not served (or under-served) because they lack either the infrastructure or the ongoing demand to support more traditional aviation models.

But there’s another piece to this puzzle. And that involves drones.

Drones and Advanced Air Mobility

Smaller Uncrewed Aerial Vehicles (UAVs, or drones) are very much part of this picture. They might be delivering prescription medications or urgent parts, or perhaps even transporting Automated External Defibrillators to the site of a 9-1-1 call (something InDro Robotics has proven in trials). They could even be moving a life-saving organ for human transplant from one hospital to another, reducing time and improving patient outcomes. Plus, or course, there’s the multitude of tasks drones can achieve on the scientific and industrial/Enterprise side of things. (A quick aside: When referring to the use of drones or these new and larger eVTOLs solely within an urban center, it’s often referred to as Urban Air Mobility, or UAM. But UAM and AAM will go hand-in-hand.)

It all paints a pretty exciting picture of the future. But it’s a future the world can’t simply dive into. With more aircraft taking to the skies, often at lower-altitude flights, the runway to this future needs to be methodical. It requires an approach often referred to as “Crawl, walk, run.” As you’ve likely guessed, that means starting out very slowly and carefully, using an incremental approach.

UTM: Uncrewed Traffic Management

One key component in this equation is minimizing the potential for any of these aircraft to come into conflict with one another. And here we get to introduce another acronym: UTM, or Uncrewed Traffic Management. The future requires a system which – through a combination of hardware and software and automation – can seamlessly ensure the skies above (and the ground below) remain safe.

Here, too, there is no shortage of companies and working groups pushing for solutions. Just as surely as vehicles like the EH-216 will one day become routine, a robust and reliable UTM solution – likely involving a combination of software integrated with NAV Canada’s air traffic control, along with detect-and-avoid sensors on aircraft and specific flight corridors – will emerge. But that’s not going to happen overnight.

In this country, a group called the Canadian Advanced Air Mobility Consortium has already started planning for the future.

Bringing Advanced Air Mobility to Canada

This isn’t something any one company – or regulator – can do on their own. It requires consensus, collaboration, and a shared vision and commitment. That’s why the Consortium, whose home page image you see below, has brought together multiple partners.

Air Mobility

Advanced Air Mobility is a team effort

As the Consortium’s website states: “We’re in this together.” That’s why the Consortium’s members are drawn from across the industry – including representation from academia and government. It would take quite some time to list them all here, but you can find a list of all members on this page. InDro Robotics is but one of many members.

“We’re building an ecosystem of national collaboration towards a sustainable, equitable and profitable Advanced Air Mobility industry in Canada,” states the Consortium’s website. Its goals, it says, are simple: “Zero emissions from Advanced Air Mobility operations in Canada.” Somewhere down the road, says the Consortium, one in five aircraft in Canada will operate with zero emissions.

We asked Chris Howe, the Consortium’s Lead Operating Officer, why he’s optimistic about this new future:

“AAM requires aviation to look outside itself and collaborate with so many innovative new technologies,” he says.

“New energy (electric and hydrogen), engineering (quieter operations), and also connectivity (5G) and advanced decision-making (artificial intelligence) are required to make AAM a safe, sustainable and equitable solution. I’m personally excited to see how this incredibly interdisciplinary industry will work together to get off the ground and solve real problems like emergency medical transportation.” 

The Consortium operates with a commitment to six pillars it believes “are necessary to make AAM an agent of global positive change.”

Those pillars, from the website, are as follows:

Air Mobility

What’s next for AAM in Canada?

Great question. Two key projects are already well underway. The first is to create a Canadian Advanced Air Mobility Master Plan. Phase One of that project is a strategic roadmap that hopes to guide the next 20 years of AAM development in Canada. It will focus on these three areas, which we’re quoting verbatim from the site:

  • Define the unifying national AAM vision for Canada
  • Identify gaps & barriers in accomplishing the vision
  • Create the national AAM implementation Roadmap & Master Plan

Phase Two will get a little more technical. The site says it’s “designed to de-risk AAM operations, coordinate business planning, and expedite technology integration required to activate revenue generating use cases.”

Goals for this phase, in conjunction with regional projects taking place in Vancouver and Toronto, include:

  • Design airspace structure, flight routes, physical infrastructure maps and noise footprints for urban and rural operations
  • Develop Concept of Operations (CONOPS) for specific AAM use cases and integration with RPAS Traffic Management (RTM)

There’s much more…

 

The Canadian Advanced Air Mobility Consortium website is very well put together. There’s a lot of information there, as well as a standing invite for other stakeholders and interested parties to get involved.

We can’t predict, at least not with certainty, where AAM will take us in the coming years. Certainly there are a number of new eVTOL designs already being tested, with many more under development. There’s no question zero-emission aircraft will be welcome additions in a world under growing pressure from climate change.

There’s also no question that these aircraft will be moving goods and people to areas currently under-served by traditional aviation – and that’s a very good thing.

But there’s one pressing question: When will all this arrive? We put that to Consortium lead Chris Howe.

“Commercial eVTOL manufacturers are telling us they are aiming for certification of their aircraft by 2024,” he says.

“We are working hard to ensure the infrastructure and regulations will allow for safe, sustainable and equitable commercial passenger operations in Canada by 2030.”

It’s a future we very much look forward to. 

And finally…

If you’re interested in reading more on the topic, Howe suggests the following links as good resources:

And a quick PS: The fact InDro Robotics is a consortium member didn’t play a role in this post. We wrote this simply because AAM is coming, and fast. Keep this on your radar.

By Scott Simmie

 

 

Percepto’s autonomous drone-in-a-box

Percepto’s autonomous drone-in-a-box

Oct 27, 2021 | Autonomy, Drone News, Industry News, Robotics, Scott Simmie

By Scott Simmie, InDro Robotics

 

If you’re in the drone industry, you’ve likely heard the phrase: “Drone-in-a-box.” If refers to an autonomous system where a drone nests inside an enclosure for charging and safe harbour – and is regularly dispatched for automated missions. Usually, those missions are pre-programmed and involve inspection, surveillance, or change detection. Manual missions can be carried out when necessary, but the real point is automation.

The idea is that missions are carried out repeatedly, with a human simply monitoring from a remote location. Remotely could mean inside a building on an industrial site where the drone is based. But, because these emerging systems operate using LTE to control the drone and communicate with the software, they can be operated from hundreds or even thousands of kilometres away (providing you have permission to operate Beyond Visual Line of Sight and an available LTE network). With missions carried out automatically and on a regular schedule, this makes for vastly more efficient inspections, surveillance, tracking of construction progress, etc.

It beats requiring a pilot on site, and the drone never suffers from fatigue. The advantages for Enterprise clients are immediately apparent: Inspections, surveillance or general monitoring take place like clockwork, with all relevant data stored for easy access and interpretation. But think also of the edge such systems could provide for First Responders: A drone could be automatically dispatched to the location of a 9-1-1 call or critical incident. Video or thermal imagery can be securely live-streamed to decision makers down the line, regardless of where they’re located. The potential of such systems is unlimited.

At InDro Robotics, we’re no strangers to this concept. In fact, we’ve got a few things under the hood in this regard. But we like to acknowledge and celebrate success in this field. And so today’s post will focus on Percepto – the world’s leader in drone-in-a-box solutions. The company has a proven system, currently deployed in more than 100 locations around the globe. We recently had an opportunity to see a demo of the Percepto system, hosted by Canadian distributors RMUS (Rocky Mountain Unmanned Solutions).

Percepto’s autonomous drone system

The Percepto website outlines its offering with this statement: “Changing the way visual data is collected and analyzed, Percepto AIM is the only end-to-end inspection and monitoring software solution that fully automates visual data workflows, from capture to insights.” AIM stands for Autonomous Inspection and Monitoring, and is the software integral to the overall package.

This Percepto video provides a good overview:

It’s one thing to see a company video, quite something else to see that system in person. We were part of a briefing with Percepto’s Ehud Ollech (Head of Business Development) and Shykeh Gordon (VP Global Sales). They demonstrated the AIM software, the Sparrow drone (which comes with a parachute), and much more.

But they started by explaining that this system is purpose-built for major industrial customers, with clients from the mining, solar, oil & gas/petrochemical and utilities sector. And, they said, don’t think of Percepto as a drone company.

“Basically we are a big data analytics company,” said Shykeh, “offering end-to-end inspection and monitoring solutions.” What kind of solutions? This corporate graphic, supplied by Percepto’s marketing department, helps explain:

Percepto Drone

Percepto’s AIM software

During the demonstration, Shykeh and and Ehud walked us through the AIM (Autonomous site Inspection and Monitoring) software. It’s a browser-based system that allows you to program missions, monitor flights in real-time, watch a live stream from the Sparrow drone’s RGB or thermal camera, and take a deep dive into meaningful data. The User Interface is simple, and Percepto says a mission can be planned in as little as three minutes. In fact, they flew a brief mission from indoors with visitors watching from a conference room and visual observers outside. Every aspect of the mission, including a live video feed, was delivered in real-time. We could monitor what the drone was seeing, which is part of the point. And Ehud had the option, if something caught his eye, of stopping for a closer look.

RGB and thermal data is continuously captured during missions, then uploaded to the AWS cloud when the drone comes home to roost. Significantly, the AIM software is capable of change detection – a major feature for many clients. Once a baseline capture of a designated area has been stored in the Cloud, if a subsequent mission detects any changes, anomalies will be flagged. These could include thermal changes, issues with solar panels, oil leaks, a broken window – the list goes on. (The thermal data is radiometric, meaning it provides the actual temperatures measured.) The AI does not always categorize the type of anomaly, but even when it doesn’t it will quickly point out the relevant images for the operator to take a closer look. Percepto can also be integrated with Smart Fences or Pan-Tilt-Zoom cameras and dispatched automatically if something seem amiss.

Percepto Autonomous Drone

“The heart of our system is our software,” says Ehud.

AIM can also integrate data from ground-based robots, such as Boston Dynamics’ Spot. Even a smartphone photo or other image can be added to the mix, providing it contains geolocation data. The system can produce 3D digital twins, with all photogrammetry stitching done in the Cloud by AIM. (Some solutions for automated data capture rely on third-party software for photogrammetry.)  As part of the demonstration, Ehud defined an area of a pile of earth; a volumetric calculation was instantly performed. And this was all while the group was comfortable indoors. We were probably 50 metres from the actual system, but we could have just as easily have been across the planet, assuming LTE connection at the drone end.

Seeing the Percepto drone in a box in action

Percepto Autonomous Drone

After the first mission was complete, we went outside to watch the system in person. It began with the clamshell housing – which Percepto says can withstand a Category 5 hurricane, closed. Once the mission was initiated, it opened up quickly and the Sparrow took off. The system is operational in winds up to 40 kph, with a takeoff/landing limit of 27 kph. Winds during the demo were 24 kph; the Sparrow was rock steady.

Percepto Autonomous Drone

The system does not have obstacle avoidance, but uses ground-based radar to avoid conflicts with crewed aircraft. Altitude parameters, obviously, are programmed when setting the mission.

“Everyone’s waiting for aerial radar to get cheaper and lighter,” said Shykeh.

More sensors to come

The company already is working on a gas detection sensor (aka OGI camera), and is looking at potential LiDAR sensors as well. Maximum flight time is 40 minutes under optimal conditions, but generally flights are limited to 30 minutes. The next generation battery will offer a 20-30 per cent increase in time and range, and charging time in the station – from zero to full – is about 40 minutes.

Percepto Drone

InDro’s view

This is a refined and mature system, well-suited for major corporations with the budget for this kind of data acquisition and interpretation. It’s particularly suited for remote sites – especially sites that do not have staff on site but require persistent monitoring for safety, security or other reasons. Percepto has some very high-profile clients on its roster, including FPL, Koch, Verizon and Enel.

We’re strong supporters of drone-in-a-box solutions – and are actively exploring systems that might be helpful to First Responders. Kudos to Percepto…and stay tuned.

Human lungs transported by drone in Toronto: A global first

Human lungs transported by drone in Toronto: A global first

Oct 14, 2021 | Industry News, Medical, Scott Simmie

By Scott Simmie, InDro Robotics

 

In a world first, a set of human lungs has been transported between two hospitals by drone.

It happened in Toronto September 25, with the drone carrying the organs on a six-minute flight between Toronto Western Hospital and Toronto General Hospital. Other organs have been transplanted by drone previously in the US, but it’s believed this is the first drone transport of lungs in the world.

The mission was carried out by Unither Bioélectronique, a Quebec-based subsidiary of United Therapeutics Corporation. The parent company is focussed on cutting-edge medical research, including the 3D printing of human-compatible biological tissue. Unither Bioélectronique, meanwhile, is building a network to be able to deliver organs. Both share a commitment to help save the lives of those awaiting transplant; the following comes from the Unither Bioélectronique website:

“Thousands of patients die very year waiting for an organ transplant due to the severe shortage of donors, and the time-sensitive supply of compatible and useable organs. Supply is simply not meeting the critical level of demand…

“United Therapeutics has a vision to change the fate and lives of these patients. Through innovative techniques in lung manufacturing, including pig-to-human xenotransplantation and advanced 3D bio-printing, and enabled by an integrated delivery network, Unither Bioelectronics has set itself on a course to be both a game-changer and lifesaver for those in need.”

A lot of preparations…

 

This was not a simple flight; a lot of planning and testing went into getting ready for the big day. In fact, according to a Canadian Press story carried by Global News, preparations took 18 months from beginning to end. Tasks included designing a custom container that would be relatively impervious to changes in barometric pressure (which varies with altitude and weather) and also provide protection from vibrations and minor bumps. This was all before getting regulatory clearance to fly at short notice over a congested urban centre.

Eventually all was done. And when a suitable pair of donor lungs became available, both Unither Bioélectronique and the University Health Network were ready. On October 12, the company released a video outlining the process:

The drone doctor

The University Health Network’s surgeon-in-chief, Dr. Shaf Keshavjee, was deeply involved with the project. In fact, it was Dr. Kehavjee’s patient who would be the recipient of this precious cargo, according to the Canadian Press story. Dr. Keshavjee was waiting on the roof when as the flight took place.

“To see it come over the tall buildings was a very exciting moment,” he told CP reporter Tara Deschamps. “I certainly did breathe a sigh of relief, when it landed and I was able to…see that everything was OK.”

The surgery took place soon after the organs arrived, and the recipient was recovering nicely as of mid-October. He is also, according to the story, a drone enthusiast.

The bigger picture

Using drones to deliver organs is a high-profile mission, and we’re happy to see this has taken place. But the reality – as Unither Bioélectronique points out – is that there’s a tremendous shortage of donor organs. Often, too, organs must be flown far greater distances for those awaiting transplant – routinely between cities and not just across town. Such missions would not be suitable for a general multi-rotor drone, though there are certainly uncrewed fixed-wing aircraft that could be adapted for the job.

This is not in any way to diminish the accomplishment here. But the reality is that drone deliveries of other essential medical supplies, particularly to destinations outside of urban centres, will benefit the greatest number of people. One need look no further than Zipline, which has completed hundreds of thousands of flights carrying critical (and often life-saving) medical supplies in Rwanda, Ghana and elsewhere.

Medical drone deliveries

InDro Robotics has long believed in the use of drones for positive use-cases. That’s why the company has been involved in numerous trials – as well as real-world deliveries – over a period of many years. We have delivered simulated blood products between hospitals in Montreal via drone, using insulated pouches equipped with temperature sensors that would send an alert if the temperature of the sample changed. (Certain blood products become less viable if they are not maintained within precise temperature parameters.)

InDro has also partnered with Canada Post, London Drugs and Country Grocer on trials to securely deliver prescription medications directly from the pharmacy to the end-user. The medications were contained in tamper-proof vials that require a specific code to unlock. Getting critical medications to people quickly – even products like Narcan, which saves lives during opioid overdoses – can save lives. Here’s a look at the joint project InDro carried out back in 2019:

 

And there’s more…

During the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, InDro Robotics regularly shuttled COVID test kits and swab samples between an island-based First Nations community and a mainland clinic. This saved the local healthcare providers from manually transporting these by car and ferry – a multi-hour undertaking – meaning they could spend more time helping patients. InDro has also carried out tests in conjunction with the County of Renfrew Paramedic Service, delivering Automated External Defibrillators to the site of 9-1-1 calls involving simulated cardiac events. The drone was able to repeatedly get the life-saving equipment to the site faster than paramedic teams driving emergency vehicles. In these kinds of urgent healthcare crises, minutes – and even seconds – count.

With multiple trials and real-world deliveries under its belt (along with standing approval for Beyond Visual Line of Sight flights and a Cargo delivery license from the Canadian Transportation Agency), InDro Robotics looks forward to regular deliveries of critical medical supplies in the future.

If you’re interested in exploring options for InDro solution for your community or healthcare network, we’d love to her from you. Contact us here.