Olea Sensor Networks, a developer of IoT (Internet of Things) intelligent sensors and analytic software, has announced the release of the OleaVision360, a patent-pending guidance system for use on UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles),drones and other autonomous applications.
Today’s drones use onboard computer systems with the assistance of GPS to navigate a path of GPS waypoints to reach their destination. However, most drones are blind to their surroundings due to lack of situational awareness in outdoor applications. Similarly, to date, drones have been unable to maneuver in buildings where GPS is denied.
The OleaVision360 can continuously scan the drone’s surroundings and the terrain below using only one ultra-lightweight sensor housed in a 100 mm (4-inch square) device. OleaVision360 provides outstanding situational awareness with a hemispherical field of view (front, back, sides, below and/or above) without the use of rotors or beam-forming technologies. This single obstacle avoidance sensor allows the drone to fly around obstacles in front or behind it with one-centimeter accuracy and a detection range of 20 meters (65 feet). Equipped with OleaVision360, a drone can accurately sense the terrain below it, offering true terrain following precision landing assistance without compromising effectiveness. Thanks to Olea’s proprietary Life Presence Detection technology, OleaVision360 can discriminate between animated versus inanimate objects.
When used for guidance systems, OleaVision360 technology provides a substantial advancement in capability for autonomous applications in flight, robotic, industrial and automotive applications.
The OleaVision360 solution is especially significant for remote inspections in the mining, construction, engineering, agriculture and environmental industries when needing to view from a specific distance or height in order to avoid compromising the existing equipment and sensors already integrated in drones. Additionally, OleaVision360 is robust enough to function in harsh or challenging environments including dust, rain, snow and in total darkness without the assistance of any lighting.
