Subaru announced that for the first time ever an aeronautical collision between a helicopter and a drone has been avoided by using autonomous technology at a relative speed of 200 km/h (124 mph).
The test was conducted in Japanese airspace on September 9 and 10 with the help of Japan Radio Co. Ltd, Japan Avionics Co. Ltd, ACSL Co. Ltd, and Magellan Systems Japan Co. Ltd. There, they sent a helicopter traveling at 150 km/h (93 mph) and an unmanned drone flying at 50 km/h (31 mph) towards each other to test the latter’s autonomous collision avoidance technology.
The 10 kg (22 lbs) drone used a variety of sensors to detect oncoming vehicles and to generate collision-avoidance paths in real time. It was also important for the drone to return to its flight path following the avoidance action, which it succeeded in doing.
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The companies were conducting the test as part of the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization, a project to promote an energy-efficient society in which drones and robots play an active role. In order to ensure that unmanned vehicles can coexist with us, collision avoidance technologies are seen as central by the organization.
Specifically, collision avoidance is important for flights over urban areas in order to minimize the risk to innocent bystanders, if a collision should occur. The technology will also help unmanned drones go farther afield, by allowing them to operate even when they are out of visual range.
Subaru says it will use the results of this test to promote the social implementation of unmanned aerial vehicles. Not only could the technology be useful for carrying objects and surveying land, but autonomous aerial vehicles are also increasingly being envisioned for carrying people.
