via phys.org
Revolutionary project uniting DRI expertise and Drone America technology
A team of Nevada scientists and unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) engineers have successfully flight tested the first-ever autonomous cloud seeding aircraft platform.
Cloud seeding flare tests were deployed from Drone America’s DAx8 UAS aircraft flown in Reno in late January.
As the first phase in a new industry-academic research partnership between the Desert Research Institute (DRI), Drone America, and AviSight, the test flight of a DAx8 multi-rotor aircraft with attached cloud seeding cargo validates the potential for UAS to significantly enhance airborne seeding operations, explained Adam Watts, Ph.D, the project’s lead and an assistant research professor at DRI.
“This is a major milestone,” said Watts. “Utilizing our state’s FAA test site designation, we were able to fly this advanced aircraft right here in Northern Nevada and verify that UAS are fully capable of carrying active cloud seeding payloads.”
The DAx8 is a robust multi-rotor aircraft for commercial and industrial applications. The unique eight-rotor design allows for the DAx8 to carry large payloads, while the advanced software and GPS guidance provide the aircraft with self-stabilizing capability and multi-waypoint navigation.
“We are extremely excited to have completed yet another step in reaching our goal of autonomous cloud seeding application,” said Mike Richards, President and CEO of Drone America.“Our joint research program with DRI is well on its way to revolutionizing the cloud seeding industry by providing safe airborne seeding with significant potential of providing relief to people in drought-stricken areas.”
The next phase of the project will be to conduct flight planning and test airborne flare deployment with Drone America’s Savant fixed-wing aircraft, said Watts.
Learn more: Autonomous cloud seeding aircraft successfully tested in Nevada
The Latest on: Autonomous cloud seeding aircraft
via Google News
The Latest on: Autonomous cloud seeding aircraft
- Deputy director remandedon January 27, 2021 at 2:01 pm
Deputy director in the Ministry of Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry, Blessed Ishmael Murwira Majiga, who allegedly presided over the awarding of a tender to JR Investments (Pvt) ...
- Zimbabwe: Govt Official in Planes Tender Stormon January 27, 2021 at 12:12 pm
A senior civil servant who recommended that a cloud-seeding tender be awarded to a company with faulty planes unsuitable for the purpose has been arrested and appeared in court yesterday on corruption ...
- Government official in planes tender stormon January 27, 2021 at 10:01 am
A senior civil servant who recommended that a cloud-seeding tender be awarded to a company with faulty planes unsuitable for the purpose has been arrested and appeared in court yesterday on corruption ...
- Velodyne Lidar Signs Multi-Year Sales Agreement with Emesenton January 27, 2021 at 12:04 am
Velodyne Lidar, Inc. (Nasdaq: VLDR, VLDRW) today announced a multi-year sales agreement to provide Puck LITE™ sensors to Emesent, a world-leader in drone autonomy, lidar mapping and data analytics.
- Govt official in planes tender stormon January 26, 2021 at 2:01 pm
A senior civil servant who recommended that a cloud-seeding tender be awarded to a company with faulty planes unsuitable for the purpose has been arrested and appeared in court yesterday on corruption ...
- Garmin (GRMN) GFC 600 Autopilot Certification to Aid Aviation Uniton January 26, 2021 at 7:49 am
Garmin Ltd. GRMN is leaving no stone unturned to bolster the aviation business on the back of its robust autonomous flight ... use in Beechcraft King Air C90 aircraft and E90 aircraft.
- American Robotics receives FAA permissions for flights without humans on-siteon January 22, 2021 at 6:32 am
American Robotics is known for its Scout System, which is made up of three primary components: Scout, an autonomous, AI-powered UAS with ... its drones to maintain a safe distance from other aircraft ...
- Flare Bright win two Innovate UK Future Flight Grantson January 20, 2021 at 12:36 pm
Leader in autonomous systems, Flare Bright, has won two Innovate UK Future Flight grants for projects totalling £418,589. These are to help create the UK’s first low-carbon aviation test environment ...
- China plays rainmaker with modified drone flightson January 16, 2021 at 9:29 am
Ganlin-1 could provide solid statistics on whether cloud seeding really works The Laohugou ... is much less expensive to operate than crewed aircraft. Previously the Chinese have used aircraft ...
- Sustainable Alternatives For Aircraft Handling Tackle Adoption Hurdleson January 6, 2021 at 4:01 pm
In the ATS system, the aircraft ... offering is cloud-based software that uses machine learning and sensor fusion to integrate real-time position and status data from autonomous vehicles to ...
via Bing News
 engineers have successf){kind=link}