This Week in the Unmanned Systems and Robotics World

During the SEMA showcase this week, Kia unveiled four autonomous car concepts. Its Niro Triathlon, dubbed as a “robotic support crew on wheels,” according to CNET, is designed to help train triathletes, hence the name. The School of Rock Sedona is a minivan that is basically a recording studio on wheels, equipped with a state of the art sound system. The Soul First Class is equipped with plenty of technology, while having the comfortability of a bedroom. Finally, the Sorento Ski Gondola is an SUV that doesn’t ride on wheels; instead it rides on Dominator Rubber Tracks, and it is perfect for a person’s skiing needs, from being capable of getting them to the top of a mountain, to storing all equipment necessary. (CNET)

Uber would like to create an aircraft ride-sharing service by 2026, with the hope of it eventually becoming unmanned, according to a recently published white paper that the company released. The aircraft would have vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) capabilities, and similar to its car services, customers would order a ride through an app. (TheStreet)

Volvo will not mark its unmanned cars during trial testing in 2018 in London, in an effort to avoid having the cars being bullied. Volvo is taking these measures because some research has found that humans are more likely to do certain things such as overtaking and cutting off self-driving cars, since driverless cars are programmed to abide the laws. (The Telegraph)

Aerotenna has launched the µSharp, which is believed to be the world’s smallest collision avoidance radar for UAVs. The radar, which weighs just 30 grams and consumes 1.5 watts, can be mounted on any UAV platform and can provide radar avoidance up 200 meters, regardless of weather or lighting conditions. (Commercial UAV News)

China has unveiled its first unmanned plane, called the “Cloud Shadow.” The plane, which can operate autonomously for six hours, was designed by AVIC, and it can fly at 46,000 feet, while conducting reconnaissance and attack missions. It has a max speed of 385 MPH, and is compatible with a variety of missiles and bombs that the Chinese civil and military airline industry has developed. (Latin American Herald Tribune)

CBS 6 in Albany has welcomed UAS to its newsgathering set of tools, with the introduction of the SkyEye 6. The UAS’ motion-stabilizing HD zoom camera will allow the station to produce live broadcasts for its audience. (CBS 6 Albany)

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