In addition to its interest in large and exotic unmanned aircraft, the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (Darpa) is further developing the capabilities of small quadcopters that are familiar to drone enthusiasts. Using a DJI Flamewheel F450 platform, researchers last month completed the first flight tests of Darpa’s Fast Lightweight Autonomy (FLA) program, which aims to produce algorithms that would enable small drones to navigate cluttered indoor environments autonomously. The FLA program specifies a drone that is small enough to fit through a window and can fly at speeds of up to 20 meters per second—or 45 mph—while navigating complex indoor spaces. It must do so independent of communicating with an outside operator in a GPS-denied environment. Such a drone could assist military patrols in searching dangerous urban settings and emergency responders in reconnaissance of unstable buildings following natural disasters. Focused initially on aircraft, the technology could also have application for ground, marine and underwater systems, Darpa says. In February, researchers conducted the program’s first data-gathering flights, which validated that the commercial Flame Wheel F450 airframe fitted with E600 electric motors, 12-inch propellers and 3D Robotics Pixhawk autopilot can fly up to 20 meters per second while carrying […]
