Flying Car News, June 30
A flying “dragon” robot in Japan, air taxis in Germany, drone mapping in Australia, drone-powered pothole repair in the UK, and more!
Flying cars will be a significant part of the future of transportation. Recent advancements in drone technology, electric VTOL aircraft, and autonomous systems have paved the way for an aerial transportation revolution. We created the Udacity Flying Car News Series, to ensure you stay up-to-date on all the latest Flying Car and Autonomous Aircraft stories!
Flying Dragon Robot
Roboticists at the University of Tokyo JSK lab have created a flying dragon robot:
“It’s a modular flying robot powered by ducted fans that can transform literally on the fly, from a square to a snake to anything in between, allowing it to stretch out to pass through small holes and then make whatever other shape you want once it’s on the other side.”
Germany To Test Urban Air Taxis
The German government signed a letter of intent to test Audi and Airbus aerial taxis in the city of Ingolstadt:
“Flying taxis aren’t a vision any longer, they can take us off into a new dimension of mobility.” — German Transport Minister Andreas Scheuer
Blockchain World Map Built by Drones
Australia-based Soar is developing a decentralized world map built using blockchain and map data from drones.
“What we are setting out on doing with Soar is to build a compelling solution for not only drone technology but in fact the greater mapping community, with a primary focus on decentralisation and community engagement.” — Amir Farhand, CEO, Soar
Drone Pothole Repairs
Researchers from the University of Leeds in the UK have developed drones that can find and fix coin sized potholes.
“Cameras equipped with image recognition technology constantly scan the streets for developing flaws, dispatch a drone to the site, and then use an on-board 3D printer to patch the hole with asphalt.”
KSU Autonomous Drone Waiver
Kansas State University Polytechnic Campus has receive the first waiver given to a university from the FAA to test autonomous drones beyond visual line of site.
“This is a significant step in meeting our strategic goals of incorporating sound research and a safety-centric approach to UAS operations to help the industry and the FAA continue to integrate UAS into the national airspace system,” — Kurt Carraway, Executive Director, UAS Program at Kansas State University
If you are interested in joining the pioneering generation of engineers who will build the smart transportation systems of the future, discover Udacity’s Flying Car Nanodegree Program today!
And stay tuned for more Flying Car News!
