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GPS-free, beyond the visual line of sight navigation for logistics drones in urban environments

Project description

Delivery drones with situational awareness capabilities

The increasing use of drones in various fields like delivery and inspection highlights the need for situational awareness capabilities. The EU-funded AUTOFLY project aims to address this need by developing a unique platform designed by Sightec that enables drones to perform complex tasks autonomously. The platform utilises advanced algorithms for vision-based orientation and navigation, real-time detection and tracking, visual positioning and autonomous inspection. It also allows for constant communication and real-time broadcast of analytics to mission control while using minimal network bandwidth, beyond line of sight and without GPS. By cross-referencing map data with visually observed landmarks, known waypoints, and visible obstacles and hazards, the system enables autonomous and remotely piloted vehicles to navigate like human pilots.

Objective

Sightec offers a unique platform based on cutting-edge algorithms which can provide vision-based orientation and navigation, Real-time Detection & Tracking, Visual Positioning and Autonomous Inspection. Sightec analytics performed on edge devices support a novel approach for determining global self-position. Our system enables constant communication and real-time broadcast of analytics to mission control, while using minimal network bandwidth. With Sightec, autonomous and remotely piloted vehicles to navigate as human pilots do, by cross-referencing map data with visually observed landmarks, known waypoints, and visible obstacles and hazards. Sightec enables drones to autonomously perform complex tasks that are otherwise impossible with currently available technology. In February 2021, our capabilities were demonstrated through a successful flight of a delivery drone across five routes in southern Israel, beyond line-of-sight and without the use of GPS.

Coordinator

SIGHTEC ISRAEL LTD
Net EU contribution
€ 2 456 377,00
Address
YIGAL ALON 94
6789139 TEL AVIV-JAFFA
Israel

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SME

The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.

Yes
Activity type
Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments)
Links
Total cost
€ 3 527 060,00