Explore UST’s round-up of our five most read articles in the industry this week, including new technologies, collaborations, white papers, and industry successes.
1. German Army Trials Autonomous DroneBox & UGV Integrated System
Elistair successfully collaborated with ARX Robotics to deliver an integrated system featuring Elistair’s KHRONOS DroneBox and ARX Robotics’ GEREON RCS unmanned ground vehicle (UGV). The advanced intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) solution was tested during an Experimentation Series organized by the Army Concepts and Capabilities Development Centre of the Bundeswehr (German Army).
The three-week Experimentation Series, designed to evaluate the performance of unmanned systems in varied tactical scenarios, provided a unique platform to demonstrate the seamless integration and capabilities of the cutting-edge systems.
2. Configuring the simpleRTK2B Heading Kit to ArduPilot with External RTK Corrections
ArduSimple provides user-friendly and cost-effective RTK GNSS solutions for drones and robotics. This guide outlines the steps for using the simpleRTK2B Heading kit with external RTK corrections sent through Mission Planner or QGroundControl.
Included in the simpleRTK2B + Heading Basic Starter Kit:
- The simpleRTK2B (big board) functions as the base in the moving base configuration.
- The simpleRTK2B Lite (small board) serves as the rover.
- Configuration files are compatible with ZED-F9P firmware version 1.13.
3. Enhancing UAV Capabilities with Satellite Connectivity
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) have revolutionized military operations through advanced satellite connectivity. This article from Ground Control looks at the technological evolution from basic prototypes to sophisticated systems, examining critical satellite communication technologies and potential future developments in drone warfare and intelligence gathering.
The RockBLOCK 9603 SATCOM Module enables sophisticated two-way communication over the Iridium network, allowing operators to transmit flight commands and adjust mission parameters approximately every 40 seconds, regardless of geographical location.
4. Drone Project to Revolutionize Urban Safety & Emergency Response
As a research project between VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland and New York University Tandon School of Engineering, AERIAL aims to push the boundaries of drone technology to enhance urban safety and emergency response.
The innovative channel measurement system enables developing real-time high data rate communication between drones and ground robots, which can help paramedics, firefighters and police officers save lives. The three-year AERIAL research project, ending in December 2024, focuses on millimetre-wave (mmWave) wireless communication between Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) and ground units, such as cars or robots.
5. Thermal Camera Provider Selected for SRR Program Award
Red Cat Holdings, Inc. has selected Teledyne FLIR to provide thermal imaging and Artificial Intelligence (AI) embedded software for its Black Widow™ small unmanned aircraft system (sUAS).
Red Cat was selected as the winner of the U.S. Army’s Short Range Reconnaissance (SRR) Program of Record after an evaluation process completed by the Army Project Management Office for Uncrewed Aircraft Systems, Army Maneuver Battle Lab, Army Test and Evaluation Command, and Army Operational Test Center.
