This Week in the Unmanned Systems and Robotics World A driverless bus, the EZ10 autonomous vehicle, has made its debut at the Darwin Wharf Precinct in Australia as a part of a trial to test the technology. The EasyMile-manufactured bus is free to ride but passengers must book a ticket online beforehand. Passengers who ride the bus will be asked to complete a survey, which will be used to evaluate the trial, and help figure out how to use the technology going forward in the future. (Darwin Waterfront Precinct)

The Somerset County Sheriff's Office in New Jersey has introduced its new Lockheed Martin manufactured-PLI Indago UAS, which will be used in conjunction with the Project Lifesaver program in Somerset County, to help locate people with special needs who are prone to wandering, such as those with Alzheimer's disease, dementia, autism and Down syndrome. The UAS, which is a military-grade, quadrotor, will be used to track clients on the Project Lifesaver program. Clients that are a part of the program wear personalized wristband that emit a tracking signal, which will help the Sherriff’s Office using the UAS track the clients if they do wander. (NJ.com)

The Moore County Sheriff’s Office in Carthage, North Carolina has announced that it has purchased a UAS to use for a variety of missions, including high risk scenarios such as when someone is barricaded in a home or building, as well as in situations where crime scene photography is needed, and for other tasks such as crowd monitoring. Three deputies have received their FAA and North Carolina certifications required to operate the UAS, which is a quadcopter, equipped with four rotors and a camera system. (The Courier Tribune)

Subaru has been granted permission to test their driverless vehicles on the roads of California. Boasting its own pre-collision avoidance, radar cruise control and lane keeping assist technologies, the auto manufacturer is one of just 22 companies that has acquired an Autonomous Vehicle Testing Permit through the California DMV. (The Drive)

A Turkish company named Elfatek has developed an unmanned mini tank, dubbed the Ankebot, which among many features, has a battery life of eight hours, can travel at six kilometers per hour, and can handle a load of 100 kilograms. Controlled by a joystick remote control system, the mini tank’s ultimate goal is to prevent casualties among security forces, by handling tasks such as bomb disposal, firefighting and transporting injured personnel. According to Elfatek, the mini tank could possibly be equipped with armor, thermal vision and a heavy machine gun. (Hurriyet Daily News)

Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and India’s Dynamatic Technologies Ltd (DTL) have announced that they will develop UAS for the Indian market. The cooperation agreement between the two companies was signed this week at the Aero India exhibition in Bangalore. The UAS that are produced will be a part of the Indian government’s “Make in India” initiative, which was launched in 2014 by the Indian government, to encourage both multinational and national companies to manufacture and develop their products in India. (Times of Israel)

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