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has an internal network that runs the
proprietary Drone Control Protocol,
which will be publicly available to
developers and integrators in the
second half of 2016.
Most of the moving parts and
electronics are duplicated for
redundancy, and the system monitors
the health of each component, Iskrev
said. If the controller fails or the
parachute cannot contact the controller,
the parachute deploys, he added, and
if the comms link is lost then the UAV
will automatically land at a pre-surveyed
safe spot.
The primary comms link is a dual
4G/LTE cellular system, with LTE as the
preferred link and 4G as the fallback. It
is a quad-band system that works in the
US, Europe and Australia, and uses two
carriers for redundancy.
If there is no cellular coverage, it can
be controlled at short ranges using a
built-in wi-fi connection. There is no
standard radio control option, but there
is an app that can be used to inch the
vehicle close to an object to inspect it.
The wi-fi can also be used for
broadband data streaming in flight, to
save on carrier fees whenever the UAV
is close to the operator. In all other cases
the video streaming is done via the LTE
connection, and Alpha can process
data on board to help speed decision-
making, eliminating the need for follow-
up flights.
Processing hardware is based on an
eight-core 64-bit microprocessor and a
graphics processing unit with a
1 Tflop capability.
The company does not offer payloads,
but provides electronic interfaces
including USB 3, Ethernet and HDMI,
and an adaptable mechanical interface
consisting of a thin aluminium or
magnesium frame. With these, it can
support up to six HD cameras and one
4k camera.
The delivery variant is slightly different
in that the comms and control modules
have been repositioned at the bottom,
leaving the top free for an open cage
that can hold up to 1.2 lb of cargo
such as drinks, food or medicines. The
ecosystem for the service includes
a customer app and a vendor app
(through which both can monitor the
progress of the order), a rack for vehicle
storage and battery recharging and a
human co-pilot at the control centre
June/July 2016 |
Unmanned Systems Technology
Alta Devices claims a record efficiency with its latest solar cell
Delivery and multi-purpose variants of the Alpha project from Uvionix