NDAA-Compliant Autonomy & Perception Solutions for UAVs & Robotics

ModalAI is a leading developer of U.S.-made artificial intelligence-powered autonomy and perception solutions for drones and robotics.

As a continued partner, UST is highlighting the company’s unique solutions via the ModalAI supplier profile. The company’s autopilots, drone platforms, and open VOXL SDK enable users from a broad range of industries to benefit from aerial- and ground-based autonomy technologies that communicate on WiFi, LTE, and Doodle Labs networks.

Read on to find out more:

The VOXL 2 is a compact single-board drone autopilot powered by the Qualcomm QRB5165. Weighing just 16g, the Blue UAS Framework-approved combined flight controller and companion computer delivers up to 15 TOPS of AI processing performance, and offers seven simultaneous MIPI inputs for easy integration of EO, thermal, TOF, and CV cameras.

The VOXL SDK provides a range of open software algorithms that can be deployed right out of the box, including multi-camera visual inertial odometry (VIO) for GPS-denied navigation, visual obstacle avoidance (VOA) for safe flight in cluttered and constricted areas, and 3D mapping and path planning for autonomous operation in dynamic environments.

The VOXL 2 Mini is designed to bring AI-powered autonomy to the smallest drones, providing the same computing capabilities from the Qualcomm QRB5165 as the VOXL 2 in an ultra-low SWaP 42 x 42mm footprint.

The compact board provides five simultaneous MIPI inputs, and features an industry-standard 30.5 x 30.5 mm frame mounting.

The Starling 2 is an NDAA-compliant drone development platform powered by ModalAI’s VOXL 2 BlueUAS Framework autopilot. Designed specifically for the creation of indoor UAS applications, it features a powerful suite of five imaging sensors, and offers a range of autonomous capabilities including precision visual inertial odometry, visual obstacle avoidance, and SLAM.

Weighing just 280g, the compact Starling 2 offers an impressive flight time of 40 minutes, and includes built-in Wi-Fi connectivity as well as either a Ghost Atto or Express LRS radio receiver.

The Starling 2 Max is the larger version of the Starling open drone development platform, designed for outdoor computer-vision-based dead reckoning applications. Powered by the VOXL 2 flight controller, it incorporates a suite of NDAA-compliant imaging sensors – dual 1MP fisheye CV cameras for visual inertial odometry, forward and down 12MP cameras for image streaming and capture, and a FLIR Lepton thermal imager.

The versatile platform also offers an additional payload capacity of 500g, and provides up to 55 minutes of flight time.

Stinger Vision is a compact FPV drone designed for indoor reconnaissance, offering 12 minutes of flight time and built with a caged airframe for maximum safety. Featuring ModalAI’s proprietary FPV streaming technology, it delivers long-range low-latency encrypted video streaming, and features a range of AI-assisted flight modes that allows pilots to fly confidently with minimal training and no prior FPV experience.

The NDAA-compliant platform is powered by the VOXL 2 Mini autopilot, and incorporates a 4MP color image sensor for FPV streaming and capture, dual CV cameras for autonomous flight, and a downward thermal camera for night-time position holding. It can also be optionally equipped with a 640×480 FLIR Boson+ thermal imager.

To find out more about ModalAI’s autonomy and perception solutions for drones and robotics, visit the company’s profile page:
https://www.unmannedsystemstechnology.com/company/modalai/