While your hard working local letter carrier may sally forth in any weather, rain or sleet or snow can stop drone delivery in its tracks. However, as DroneDJ reports, 5G is making it easier for a drone to process and work with varying weather conditions in real time. Being able to avoid a stiff wind or unexpected cloudburst can help keep the drone delivery fleet on the job.
Researchers at the CalTech Center for Autonomous Systems and Technologies (CAST) are working with Verizon to test controlled weather conditions and how drones fed 5G data are able to react. Studying the drones will help determine how quickly they are able to incorporate new information and make adjustments in real time. Over the next year, researchers at the three story aerodrome will have access to 2,500 adjustable fans that can subject drones from anything to a gentle breeze to gale force winds. The low latency, fast speed, and high capacity of 5G and edge computing should give the drones large amounts of information they can use to make quick adjustments in mid flight, or when landing or taking off.
“You can’t fly them when it’s windy. You can’t fly them when it’s rainy. There are lots of issues with drones,” noted UPS CEO Carol Tomé, reported DroneDJ.
“By collaborating with CAST researchers,” stated Nicki Palmer, chief product development officer at Verizon, “We hope to accelerate the innovation process and development of unmanned aerial vehicles that can autonomously navigate using 5G, edge compute, and AI. This research project is just the tip of the iceberg of what we hope to see tested.” Verizon is contributing funding, hardware, and consultation service towards the project.
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