Zipline has developed an acoustic system for detecting other aircraft for drones. It uses microphones and allows you to detect other devices within a radius of two kilometers, as well as automatically adjust the flight path to avoid a collision, according to a press release from the company.
In recent years, small unmanned vehicles have become much cheaper and therefore much more popular than before. Since they share airspace with other vehicles, including airplanes and helicopters, for a long time national aviation regulators have severely restricted the flights of civilian drones. In addition, the manufacturers themselves, as a rule, block the possibility of flying near airports, where the probability of collision with aircraft is high.
One of the solutions to this problem is the installation of an automatic dependent surveillance—broadcasting system (ADS-B), which has long been used on conventional aircraft. It allows the devices to broadcast their location and flight parameters using radio signals, as well as receive the same signals from others, which allows you to change the trajectory in advance to avoid a dangerous approach. Since 2020, DJI has been equipping all its drones weighing from 250 grams with such a system, however, working only as a receiver. There are also systems that work on other principles. For example, the company Iris Automation offers to install a set of infrared cameras on drones that track devices around, but it weighs about two and a half kilograms.
Zipline has developed a system for tracking surrounding aircraft using microphones. The company notes that this allows drones to track other devices at a distance of up to two kilometers, but tells quite little about its principles of operation. Earlier, Zipline received a patent for a similar system. It notes that the system uses several microphones in order, due to the difference in their signals, firstly, to determine which part of the sounds the drone itself creates, and secondly, to determine the direction of other sounds. A machine learning algorithm is used to recognize sounds from other aircraft.
The company says it has already integrated the system into its drones, but it is unknown whether it will sell or license it to other manufacturers and operators. Zipline uses aircraft-type drones to deliver cargo, mainly medicines and medical tests. She claims that she has already delivered more than 300 thousand orders.
Grigory Kopiev
