Leading US drone safety technology company Iris Automation and 65-year old German aviation supply firm Becker Avionics are teaming up to develop new detection and avoidance solutions that allow piloted aircraft and uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAV) to identify potential collision risks and steer clear of them.

Drones with ‘detect and avoid’ tech are being tested in Blacksburg, Virginia. One of the unmanned aircraft is a fixed-wing, NASA-operated Tempest drone. The other one is a more traditional quadcopter carrying a special box. The two drones are set on a collision course, but before actually colliding the quadcopter should autonomously detect and avoid the fixed-wing drone.