Robotics & Automation News

Where Innovation Meets Imagination

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Japanese researchers develop ‘innovative, low-cost’ UAV for inspecting transmission lines

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The novel approach avoids costly and sophisticated equipment, while also enabling automated close-range inspection of transmission lines

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are now widely used for remote inspection of electrical transmission lines, but capturing detailed information over long distances poses challenges.

Additionally, sophisticated equipment is needed due to magnetic field interferences, increasing costs. Now, a team of researchers has introduced an innovative low-cost UAV platform.

Using specialized algorithms, it addresses the limitations of affordable equipment, facilitating close-range inspections. The proposed system paves the way for the widespread adoption of automated inspection systems. [Read more…] about Japanese researchers develop ‘innovative, low-cost’ UAV for inspecting transmission lines

Skyports Drone Services partners with Carbonix to scale up long-range drone operations in Australia

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Skyports Drone Services is partnering with Australian drone manufacturer Carbonix to scale beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operations across the country using its long-range vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft.

In the first phase of the partnership, Skyports Drone Services will embed specialist international drone pilots within Carbonix.

The expert pilots will provide Carbonix with unparalleled flight experience, operating regular data acquisition missions for Carbonix’s portfolio of energy infrastructure and mining partners. [Read more…] about Skyports Drone Services partners with Carbonix to scale up long-range drone operations in Australia

Honeywell to provide flight control technology for unmanned cargo plane

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Pipistrel has selected Honeywell’s Compact Fly-By-Wire system for the Nuuva V300 cargo unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), choosing a modern, lightweight, highly capable system with a proven architecture ideally suited for their autonomous cargo UAV.

Fly-by-wire computers act as the “brains” of an aircraft’s flight controls by operating them electronically and can be found inside nearly all large fixed-wing aircraft today.

The compact version from Honeywell has features derived from decades of expertise in fly-by-wire systems for airliners, but it’s much smaller – roughly the size of a paperback book. [Read more…] about Honeywell to provide flight control technology for unmanned cargo plane

Hydrogen fuel cell company Plug Power acquires EnergyOr

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Plug Power, a provider of hydrogen engines and fueling solutions enabling e-mobility, has acquired EnergyOr. 

The transaction involves technology, assets, and personnel, but the financial terms have not been disclosed.

EnergyOr is based in Montreal, Canada, and is the leader in advanced lightweight and compact PEM (proton-exchange membrane) hydrogen fuel cell (HFC) systems for robotics, small scale material handling and aerospace applications. [Read more…] about Hydrogen fuel cell company Plug Power acquires EnergyOr

MHPS to use drones for inspecting power plant boilers

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Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems, Ltd. (MHPS) is putting unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) into practical service to more easily and efficiently inspect the interiors of power plant boilers and other large indoor structures.

Demonstration testing for manually operated drones was completed last year, and MHPS plans to begin offering the inspection service from April 2019.

MHPS is also pursuing development of autonomous UAVs, together with research and development firm A.L.I. Technologies Inc.

[Read more…] about MHPS to use drones for inspecting power plant boilers

True innovation: Three big ways drones are changing the way we live

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Promoted

Life changes rapidly these days. The world is full of creation and innovation, all of it happening at a speed so breakneck it can be hard to tell which developments are set to change the world and which ones are essentially the Segway of 2018.

Modern unmanned aerial vehicles, also known as UAVs or drones, have been on the military scene since 2001 and started to go mainstream in the industrial and commercial markets in 2011, with fervor for these flyers steadily increasing to the point that drones are expected to have an economic impact of $82 billion dollars by 2025 in the United States alone.

In short, drones are here to stay. They’re also here to change the way we live and work, for the better.

Here are three big ways drones are in the process of reshaping the world we know.  [Read more…] about True innovation: Three big ways drones are changing the way we live