This Week in the Unmanned Systems and Robotics World

Japan’s ANA Crown Plaza Narita and Narita International Airport will be utilizing the help of the HOSPI(R) Autonomous Delivery Robot this month. The robot, designed by the Panasonic Corporation, is equipped with a preprogrammed map, a variety of sensors, and an advanced collision-avoidance algorithm that helps it navigate its environment without bumping into people or things. During its time at the Crown Plaza, the HOSPI(R) offered water bottles to guests and announced the times for bus departures. At the Narita International Airport's "Narita Travel Lounge," from January 23 to 27, the HOSPI(R) will be used to collect dirty dishes and take them to the counter for washing. Video footage of the robot in action can be seen here. (New Atlas)

A fourteen-year-old from Gujarat, India has developed a drone that is capable of disabling landmines in the battlefield. The drone was developed by Harshwardhan Zala, who was inspired to make the system after seeing soldiers getting hurt in the battlefield while they were trying to manually defuse landmines. After developing two prototypes with funding help from his parents, Zala has been granted a contract worth $730,000 to produce more of the drones that can be used in the battlefield. The drones are equipped with a 50-gram explosive, which safely destroys the landmines. (Small UAS News)

In India, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has plans to use UAS to help with the construction of future metro rail corridors in the city. The UAS will be used to conduct aerial surveys for the building of the DN Nagar-Bandra-Mankhurd (Metro 2B) route, and the Wadala-Ghatkopar-Thane-Kasarvadavali (Metro 4) route. The data collected from the UAS, along with data collected from surveys conducted on land, will be stored for future planning. (The Indian Express)

New Zealand has begun to use UAS to monitor White Island, the country’s most active volcano. According to Brad Scott, a volcanologist at New Zealand’s Crown Research Institute GNS Science, using UAS, GNS Science has been able to access the active crater area at White Island, and obtain images of the area that were previously blocked by steam and gas. (NZResources.com)

The Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) has launched the Unmanned Aircraft Systems Challenge for 2017. The challenge, open to students in the United Kingdom, as well as overseas, will give students the opportunity to design and build their own UAS, and eventually test them against their fellow competitors in a competition to transport a package as accurately and quickly as possible. (Eureka)

The director general of civil aviation (DGCA), ministry of home affairs (MoHA) and ministry of defence (MoD) have granted 13 tiger reserves in India permission to use UAS for monitoring. The UAS will be used as a part of the 'E-Bird technology for tiger conservation: Development and integration of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs)' project. The UAS will be used to provide better protection and conservation for both tigers and their prey base. (Times of India)

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