* October 1, 2019 by Skydio presented its new intelligent product for realizing action shooting from the air. Details about Skydio 2 in our review .
About the developer
Skydio R1 is the result of a long and painstaking work, a team that included MIT graduates in aviation and robotics, as well as world experts in the field of AI (Artificial Intelligence) and robotics, who have established themselves in such large companies as Google, Apple, Tesla and Oculus.
- The founders of Skydio are Adam Bry, Abe Bachrach, and Matt Donahoe.
- The company is supported by such investors as: a16z, Accel, IVP, Playground, NVIDIA, Kevin Durant, Naval Ravikant, Elad Gil, Padma Warrior, Justin Timberlake, Magic Johnson.
Obstacle Avoidance
Before the advent of the R1 drone, the most practical obstacle avoidance system was equipped with UAVs from the following companies:] and Yuneecquadrocopter. It would seem, what could be better than what we already have? Skydio developers have answered this question revealingly, presenting their advanced obstacle avoidance technology called - Skydio Autonomy Engine.
Skydio Autonomy Engine
Skydio R1 avoids obstacles to a whole new level. To create a 3D map of the surrounding world, which includes trees, people, buildings and more, the R1 uses 12 cameras built into the drone's frame. For operational processing in real time of incoming visual information, a top-end full-featured computing platform for artificial intelligence was used - Nvidia Jetson TX1 built on a 256-core graphics processor, the one used in modern cars with autopilot.
How does it work?
The first step in autonomous flight is to get the drone to understand where it is in the environment and how it moves. This became possible thanks to the 3D image, in which areas with high texture act as markers. Thanks to triangulation, it becomes possible to calculate the position of the drone.
* computer vision R1
The next step in processing is to create a three-dimensional understanding of the world around the drone. To do this, Skydio R1 calculates the depth of the stereo image coming from each pair of cameras, which are subsequently combined, creating a dense three-dimensional understanding of the surrounding world.
According to co-founder Adam Bry, the drone uses a combination of deep neural networks to recognize the people around it. The drone knows what people look like and creates a visual identifier for each person individually so that he can later focus on the correct object.
The drone planning system transforms all received information about the environment into correct behavior, thereby allowing balanced obstacle avoidance, keeping the subject in the frame, capturing stunning smooth video, and predict the movement of the drone (up to 4 seconds in advance) based on the movement of the object being followed.
* Top view: R1 computer vision in prediction mode. Bottom image: Normal camera view.
Adam Bry noted that, despite all the intelligence of the drone, there are still situations where the drone can face difficulties. For example, thin wires or branches can be difficult to see, glass surfaces or crowds of people can also confuse the drone. If R1 is unable to figure out what to do next, he will immediately notify about it via the smartphone that controls it.
Accessories
Specification
Drone
Camera
Computer
Sensors
FPV
Follow Modes
Skydio R1 has 5 modes of intelligent follow in its arsenal:
Follow
Lead
Side
Orbit
Tripod
Camera
Skydio The R1 received a 4K camera (4k @ 30fps; 1080p @ 30.60fps; FOV 150 °) suspended on a 2-axis mechanical suspension.
Flight time
According to the specifications, the flight time is 16 minutes. By default, the kit comes with two batteries at once.
Materials of Execution
The R1 is constructed from aerospace materials including lightweight aluminum and carbon fiber.
Controls
Full control over the drone can be realized through the smartphone via the "Skydio" app. For Apple Watch owners, the ability to issue R1 commands directly from a smartwatch is available, thereby eliminating the need to take out a smartphone every time.
Price
The model is no longer produced or sold. On October 1, 2019, Skydio presented their new intelligent action product for aerial photography - Skydio 2.
Photo
Photo with the Skydio R1 drone.
Video
Skydio drone video R1.
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