This Week in the Unmanned Systems and Robotics World

At the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Toyota unveiled its Concept-I vehicle, which the company claims is a friendly autonomous vehicle. The vehicle was designed with 'kinetic warmth' in mind, which has a focus on warm, welcoming and fun mobile technology. The concept vehicle includes Toyota’s new 'Yui' artificial intelligence system, which is designed to learn a driver’s preferences to eventually anticipate their needs. (Daily Mail)

BMT, in partnership with the University of Bristol, has created what is believed to be the first UAS that can perform a perched landing. With the ability to perform a perched landing (thanks to machine learning algorithms), the UAS is perfect for certain missions, including ones involving the delivery of aid in humanitarian disaster situations, and missions involving intelligence collection. (BMT Group)

Beach goers might one day have the opportunity to rent surfboards from an autonomous surfboard delivery vehicle called the Maui. Powered by a hydrogen fuel cell or a battery pack that would provide traction to its four wheels, the Maui would be operable on streets, sidewalks, and bike paths, and would be used to service surfboard riders at local public beaches, including ones at hidden local beaches where there are few inhabitants. (The Globe and Mail)

Piedmont Virginia Community College (PVCC) in Albemarle County, Virginia will host a conference for first responders on the use of UAS for public safety. The event, called the National Unmanned Aerial Systems Summit, will take place from February 27 to March 1. Some of the instances of using UAS that will be discussed at the Summit include for search and rescue missions, damage assessment and disaster response. (Culpepper Star Exponent)

The Air Force has announced that pilots sitting in the cockpit of the F-35 aircraft will be able to control a small group of UAS flying in the general vicinity, to conduct missions involving sensing, reconnaissance and targeting. This ability is expected to expedite certain missions, as pilots will have the ability to receive real-time video feeds directly to the F-35 cockpit, giving pilots and personnel the chance to make quicker decisions. (Scout)

Florida Panhandle Technical College has become the latest college or university to introduce courses on UAS to its curriculum. Five instructors at the school have received training on how to operate UAS, and the school has bought 13 UAS to use for the courses. The first classes will begin in February. (WJHG)

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