May Mobility, which claims to be the “first autonomous vehicle company to replace existing transportation systems with its fleets of self-driving micro-shuttles,” has announced that it raised $11.5 million in seed funding during a seed round in which BMW i Ventures and Toyota AI Ventures were the co-leaders for.
May Mobility, which plans to launch commercial operations this year, says that this funding will allow the company to launch new deployments across the country.
Business Solutions
Business Solutions
Nissan and DeNA to begin a field test of "robo-vehicle mobility service" in Japan in March
On March 5, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. and DeNA Co., Ltd. will begin a field test of their “robo-vehicle mobility service,” Easy Ride, which is envisioned as a mobility service “for anyone who wants to travel freely to their destination of choice in a robo-vehicle.”
The field test will take place in the Minatomirai district of Yokohama, in Japan's Kanagawa Prefecture. During testing, participants will travel along a set route in vehicles equipped with autonomous driving technology. The route is about 4.5 kilometers between Nissan's global headquarters and the Yokohama World Porters shopping center.
Locust USA and U.S. Army to collaborate on development of technology for UAVs
Through its wholly-owned subsidiary UAV Turbines, Inc. (UAVT), Locust USA, Inc has entered into a $19 million Technology Investment Agreement (TIA) with the U.S. Army to collaborate on the development of an “efficient and reliable/durable small turboprop gas turbine engine” for propulsion in the UAV space.
The development goals surround engine capabilities beneficial to both military and commercial markets. This initiative is part of the Army’s “Reliable Advanced Small Power Systems (RASPS) Technology Demonstration” program. The goal of the program is to design, manufacture and test a “200 shp class advanced technology engine to technical readiness level (TRL) 6.”
Drones, Droids and Unmanned Systems Networking Social
On behalf of the AUVSI Cascade Chapter and our hosts, Custom Interface, Inc., you're cordially invited to join us at the Custom Interface corporate offices in Bingen, WA in the beautiful Columbia River Gorge for a special AUVSI Cascade Networking Social. Chapter leaders will provide an update on unmanned systems happenings in the Northwest and beyond. You'll hear all the latest details about our "Drones and Droids: Unmanned Systems at Work" symposium with Big Bend Community College in Moses Lake April 11th and 12th where we'll host industry, government and academia in a flourishing unmanned systems community.
Drones and Droids: Unmanned Systems at Work
AUVSI Cascade & Big Bend Community College Present
Drones and Droids:
Unmanned Systems at Work
Please join us at Big Bend Community College for the Pacific Northwest's premier unmanned systems event "Drones and Droids: Unmanned Systems at Work" April 11th and 12th. Hear experts from industry, government and academia provide the latest updates on unmanned systems legislation, policies and technologies. You'll hear from a great lineup of experts in legislation, policy, technologies and training, including:
D.C. to explore autonomous vehicle program through Interagency AV Working Group
In an effort to explore an autonomous vehicle (AV) program in the city, Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser announced the establishment of the Interagency AV Working Group on Feb. 12. The working group will “proactively prepare the District for AV technologies and ensure that AV deployment will benefit District residents and visitors.”
The working group is made up of District agencies focused on transportation, disability rights, environmental issues, and public safety. It also includes representatives from a variety of entities across D.C., including from the Office of the City Administrator, the District Department of Transportation, and the Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency.
InstantEye Robotics receives order for 800 of its InstantEye Mk-2 GEN3-A0 sUAS systems
InstantEye Robotics has received an order from the Navy and Marine Corps Small Tactical Unmanned Aircraft Systems Program Office (PMA-263) for 800 of its InstantEye Mk-2 GEN3-A0 sUAS systems.
The systems delivered under this contract will provide organic surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities, in support of deployed Marine infantry squads.
“We are excited that InstantEye has been selected by the Marines as their squad-level sUAS asset,” says Tom Vaneck, Vice President of InstantEye Robotics.
Gryphon Sensors partners with WhiteFox Defense Technologies to advance Skylight Counter-UAS System
Gryphon Sensors is partnering with WhiteFox Defense Technologies to integrate WhiteFox’s “non-jamming, non-kinetic mitigation and analysis capabilities” with Gryphon's Skylight system.
Gryphon's Skylight system provides “intelligent situational awareness for integration and security,” using multiple ground-based sensors to detect cooperative and non-cooperative targets in the airspace.
According to the companies, the resulting RF-based sensor-driven system provides an “industry leading unclassified and exportable counter-UAS system.”
DARPA successfully completes ACTUV program, ACTUV "Sea Hunter" Prototype transitions to ONR
DARPA has announced that it has successfully completed its Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) Continuous Trail Unmanned Vessel (ACTUV) program.
The technology demonstration vessel, christened Sea Hunter, has officially been transferred to the Office of Naval Research (ONR). ONR will continue developing the vehicle, which is described as “the first of what could ultimately become an entirely new class of ocean-going vessel able to traverse thousands of kilometers over open seas for months at a time, without a single crew member aboard—as the Medium Displacement Unmanned Surface Vehicle (MDUSV).”