Hmm, I suspect AT&T and Intel are keen to get into technology that neither of them have a clue about. In am particularly skeptical of this statement:

"AT&T also said having drones connected to a network could help address "potential interference with manned aircraft,” an issue that has caused deep concern as consumer drones have interfered with airborne firefighting efforts and nearly hit helicopters and airplanes."

vu.q.le@outlook Posted at 2016-2-25 06:58
Really? Intel introduced the obstacle avoidance on the Typhoon H. They also own http://www.asctec.de ...

You really are an insulting prick. Perhaps you can tell us how the statement I highlighted will work, since you appear to know everything. BTW, neirther Typhoon H or its obstacle avoidance are yet avaialble, and the Intel system cannot see power lines and small detail, so in real terms is not a practical system. But of course, you knew that.

Will obstacle avoidance ever be able to see power lines?
I'm not sure power lines are the bench mark for saying  that nothing has obstacle avoidance..
We would love it to sense power cables because are human eyes are completely useless at avoiding drone to power cable interaction.

CFM01 Posted at 2016-2-25 11:06
Will obstacle avoidance ever be able to see power lines?
I'm not sure power lines are the bench mark ...

The Intel system also does not see fine tree branches either and it cannot work at the full speed of the aircraft. By the time it sees something, it is too late to avoid a collision. As it is being touted as a 'Collision Avoidance' system, it is not really truthful, as it does not work in those situations and they are the very sort the aircraft needs to be protected against.

There are people talking about using the Intel system for commercial delivery applications, and clearly that is not going to work in urban areas where there are lots of power lines.


The other thing that bothers me is that I can't get any real info on how the Intel systems works. They had a demo of it at the show last month, but it really told you nothing. For example, how does it see an obstacle behind you when you are flying backwards?

The real question is, will Intel have the balls to release this system for commercial use in consumer drones. I can see forums full of people wanting to start class action suits against Intel because the system failed to see an obstacle and their drone collided with something. Naturally it will not be the aircraft owners fault.

This was in a report from the CES show:

Intel’s RealSense camera forms the eyes of the Yuneec Typhoon H, the first silent salvo in Skynet’s silent war against humanity. Or, the smartest drone you’ve ever seen, depending how you look at it. It’s a hexacopter, a six-rotor-and-six-motor-powered drone with carbon fibre arms and feet that retract when it takes off with the push of a button. While the 4K camera below is mounted on a 360-degree gimbal with complete freedom of motion, the front-facing RealSense camera is the one that tracks the drone’s position and the position of other moving objects around it.

Ostensibly, that depth-sensing camera is for avoiding obstacles, which the Typhoon H absolutely does, very well and very reliably. But it also tracks people, in concert with GPS and the drone’s own Wi-Fi connectivity, and that means it can follow you wherever you go. Intel also had an Asctec prototype drone on show which had six RealSense cameras arranged in a 360-degree arc, making the drone presumably able to even avoid the missiles that you try to shoot it down with.

Note that the Yuneec features only a front facing camera, meaning it will only be able to avoid something it is flying towards, or the camera is facing. Given it has a full 360 degree camera rotation, you should be able to face the aircraft forward even if the camera is facing another way, but how often do you simply back up instead. In which case, it won't see what is behind it. The only time I have ever come close to striking anything with my Phantom, was nearly backing into a tree I did not know was there.

The mention of the Asctec drone says it has 6 cameras, with the attendant processing equipment and such would be a very expensive option. But it also says "making the drone presumably able to even avoid the missiles that you try to shoot it down with." I seriously doubt that it could see and react in time to avoid any missile.