In an effort to pursue the shared goal of “transforming mobility through the large-scale deployment of autonomous vehicle technology,” Cruise and General Motors Co. are partnering with Honda.
Honda will work collaboratively with Cruise and General Motors to fund and develop a “purpose-built autonomous vehicle” for Cruise that can be used for a variety of purposes, and be manufactured at high volume for global deployment.
The companies will also examine global opportunities for commercial deployment of the Cruise network.
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Boeing and Robotic Skies partner to develop and deliver enhanced services for commercial and civil UAS markets
Boeing and its subsidiaries Jeppesen and Aviall have teamed up with UAS support services provider Robotic Skies to develop and deliver “industry-leading supply chain management and optimization, analytics, and maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) services” for both the commercial and civil UAS markets.
Together, Boeing and Robotic Skies will pursue ways to best utilize their substantial combined experience and platforms in manned aviation programs, so that they can extend them into the UAS market.
This includes providing services for commercially-focused regulatory compliance, ground support, training, MRO, parts distribution, field upgrades and vehicle retrofit capabilities.
Going to the TOP with AUVSI's Trusted Operator Program
AUVSI is about to give unmanned aircraft systems operators a way to increase their safety and boost their standing in a burgeoning marketplace, through the new Trusted Operator Program (TOP).
Becoming a commercial drone pilot and operating a UAS represents an exciting and rewarding career in a dynamic and emerging industry, but from a regulatory perspective, there is little required for the commercial drone operator to demonstrate competency or proficiency in his or her operations. There are training courses available to the prospective drone pilot, however, so far there has been no industry unification with respect to remote pilot competency training or testing programs.
NUAIR Alliance and Thales agree to collaborate on UTM research
The Northeast UAS Airspace Integration Research Alliance (NUAIR Alliance) has signed a multi-year collaboration agreement with Thales.
NUAIR says that the agreement supports its efforts to safely integrate UAS into “traditional, controlled airspace.” The agreement also supports NUAIR’s ability to conduct operations at its New York UAS test site’s 50-mile UAS traffic management (UTM) corridor at Griffiss International Airport.
L3 Technologies acquires USV and autonomous vessel control systems company ASV Global
On Sept. 20, L3 Technologies acquired ASV Global, a USV and autonomous vessel control systems company.
This acquisition “strategically enhances” L3’s full spectrum of unmanned maritime capabilities, which includes integrated anti-submarine warfare (ASW) technologies, future surface combatant unmanned off-board sensors, and integrated USV and UUV operations.
The acquisition will result in a new company known as L3 ASV.
Oxbotica's latest investment will support the 'next stage of its growth strategy'
Autonomous vehicle software company Oxbotica has announced the completion of a £14 million (more than $18.5 million USD) investment, which will be used to support the “next stage of its growth strategy,” the company says.
According to Oxbotica, the investment will be used to further accelerate its sustained growth, which has already seen it generate “significant” revenues, the company says, from an international customer base. Some of the company’s customers include well-known businesses in sectors such as aerospace, automotive, construction, logistics and mining.
Udelv to supply supermarkets in Oklahoma City with autonomous delivery vehicles
Udelv, which develops autonomous delivery vehicles (ADVs), has signed a deal with Narnia Road and Esperanza Real Estate Investments to supply Oklahoma City’s (OKC) largest local chain of grocery stores with self-driving delivery vans.
According to udelv, the grocery chain is the first in the world to make such a large scale investment in ADVs.
“The partnership between udelv and Esperanza and the BFL Company of stores is a historic agreement and signals the start of ADVs making everyday life easier for Americans,” says udelv CEO, Daniel Laury.
AeroVironment to provide Portuguese Army with Raven UAS
AeroVironment has announced that on Aug. 20, the company received a fixed-price contract award valued at $5.9 million from NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA), which includes the procurement of the company’s Raven UAS equipped with Mantis i23 sensors and pocket Remote Video Terminals (p/RVT) for the Portuguese Army.
Delivery of the Raven UAS is scheduled over a three-year period.
Robotic Research awarded contract to work on Autonomous Unmanned Systems Teaming & Collaboration for Counter-WMD Mission
The U.S. Army's Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center (ARDEC) has awarded Robotic Research a five-year $50 million contract for Autonomous Unmanned Systems Teaming & Collaboration (AUSTC) for the Counter-WMD Mission in challenging subterranean and other environments.
Robotic Research is a Maryland-based engineering and technology company that provides autonomy software and robotic technology to several Federal and commercial customers.
AUSTC builds on prior and ongoing Robotic Research Small Business Innovative Research contracts—also with ARDEC—in support of the Mobile Autonomous Counter-WMD System, Increment B (MACS-B).
Self-Deploying Drone Pilots may be Problem for Hurricane Response Efforts
Last year’s hurricane season was a benchmark year for the role of drones in emergency management. Harvey, Irma, and Maria all had varying characteristics that served well to showcase the benefits that unmanned aircraft systems can provide for response and recovery operations. However, the well-documented — and publicized — success of those efforts is now likely to create a new problem: well-intentioned remote pilots who self-deploy to disaster scenes hoping to help save the day.
