Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Public safety drone consulting specialist Skyfire has announced its acquisition by Echelon AI, a company that develops advanced AI algorithms for drones. The two companies will combine to form SkyfireAI, a new entity aimed at propagating the use of AI in drone technologies for public safety and global defense applications.

Specialized defense and security UAV company Red Cat Holdings is moving to further enhance the onboard assets of its tactical Teal Drones craft by adding voice-control capacities developed by startup Primordial Labs.

Shield AI, a San Diego-based startup that’s on a mission to build the world’s best AI pilot for aircraft and drones, has raised a cool $200 million in Series F funding. After this new funding round led by the US Innovative Technology Fund (USIT), Shield AI is now valued at $2.7 billion.

The dangers of AI are making headlines once again. Earlier this week, leaders from OpenAI, Google DeepMind, and other artificial intelligence labs came out with a warning that future AI systems could be as deadly as pandemics and nuclear weapons. And now, we are hearing about a test simulated by the US Air Force where an AI-powered drone “killed” its human operator because it saw them as an obstacle to the mission.

Canadian high-performance UAV producer Draganfly is moving to make further inroads with defense and security clients by partnering with specialized sensor and artificial intelligence solution provider Vermeer, whose visual positioning system (VPS) will be integrated into Commander 3XL drones.

Drone-based data collection and renewable energy sector inspection specialist DroneBase says it has raised an additional $55 million in funding to fuel its continued business expansion, which it will now pursue under the new brand entity Zeitview.

Ohio-based logistics company Drone Express is readying to manufacture a new version of its DE-2020 delivery drone, which would use Microsoft AI for in-flight navigation systems. “While our competitors are focusing on how to carry more weight, we are focusing on building a more intelligent aircraft,” quips Beth Flippo, CEO of Drone Express.

Already accustomed to using drones to inspect its enormous 1,400 circuit miles of transmission infrastructure, the New York Power Authority (NYPA) says it’s now turning to artificial intelligence (AI) analytics to both speed up and improve detection of weak points requiring repair, and take action to prevent costly outages.

The executive body of the European Union (EU) has introduced draft regulation that would make it easier for individuals and organizations to sue companies whose products – including drones – caused prejudice, damage, or injury due to malfunctioning or misuse of integrated artificial intelligence (AI) technology.

Leading autonomous drone services provider American Robotics says it has begun equipping its Scout System UAVs with new artificial intelligence (AI) anomaly detection capabilities designed to help clients – particularly those in oil and gas – avoid unexpected developments or accidents that could lead to costly consequences.

Shield AI, an artificial intelligence company focusing on drones and other autonomous aircraft, is on a mission to build “the world’s best AI pilot.” To that end, the San Diego startup has raised $90 million in equity and $75 million in debt as part of a Series E fundraising round. The funding values Shield AI at $2.3 billion.

It is a partnership that’s both timely and, sadly, increasingly necessary. Artificial intelligence-powered ZeroEyes gun detection technology is being integrated into automated drones and robotic ground assets produced by Asylon Robotics to avert, and when necessary, respond to active shooter situations.

Construction sector tech services provider SiteAware has raised $15 million Series B funding to expand client adoption of its Digital Construction Verification platform, part of its aim to make the drone-linked, artificial intelligence-enhanced asset the new standard throughout the US building industry.

A new Orwellian video released by the Future of Life Institute calls on the United Nations to ban AI-powered drone swarms. Showcasing a hypothetical future, the video’s been watched more than 3 million times – and even artificial intelligence pioneer Elon Musk seems alarmed.

While the video may not be real, it raises important questions about the future of drone-based weapons the regulations surrounding them.

Connecticut-based Aquiline Drones (AD) is on a buying spree. Last month, the company decided to get a 50% stake in the Netherlands-based AI drone manufacturing firm AerialTronics. And now, AD has acquired ElluminAI Labs to support the development of its in-house artificial intelligence framework called Spartacus.

Researchers in China revealed that they have developed an automated underwater drone capable of identifying and attacking enemy craft without human input. The first successful trial of the vessel came a decade ago as part of a program blending robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) dating to the 1990s.

Cue the music from Jaws, with maybe a bit of “Ride of the Valkyries” blended in for that Apocalypse Now feel. Because China has developed a two-meter-long military shark drone for deployment in intelligence gathering and anti-submarine warfare activity.

Scientists estimate some 500 meteorites plummet to Earth every year, yet less than 2% of those bodies from space are ever located – usually the larger chunks. Now researchers are seeking to up that count with drones using with artificial intelligence (AI) to distinguish meteorite fragments from regular rocks.

A drone survey funded by McDonald’s has revealed the sordid scale of Britain’s trash problem. When rubbish-mapping drones scanned the coastal resort towns of Bournemouth, Christchurch, and Poole (BCP Council) in the month of May, it was discovered that littering had increased by 454% compared to the volumes found during the March lockdown.

Researchers in Europe are looking for new ways to build better drones. One of the most promising techniques in doing so, it turns out, is to make them as much like birds as possible.

When it first sought to boost business and improve the quality of its service, bridge inspection specialist Japan Infrastructure Waymark (JIW) turned to drones – yet was quickly disappointed with the performance delivered. Rather than dump the entire technology, however, JIW pivoted to automated, AI-enhanced Skydio craft and watched its activity blast off.