The sight of drones dancing in perfect harmony was once reserved for the pages of sci-fi fantasies.

Lo and behold, what was deemed a futuristic concept has now materialized into a tangible reality, all thanks to groundbreaking advancements in swarm technology.

More the Merrier

Swarm technology hinges on the premise that strength lies in numbers. 

Much like the collective behavior observed in flocks of birds or schools of fish, it revolves around the idea that a group of interconnected and synchronized drones can accomplish tasks far more efficiently.

Now, the size of the swarm varies based on the complexity and scale of the task at hand. A covert intelligence operation would most likely require no more than a few drones, while a grand aerial display may call for massive swarms comprised of up to thousands.

How It’s Done

At the heart of swarm technology lies real-time communication. This entails the exchange of vital information, including positional data, speed, direction, and environmental conditions.

By relaying such information with one another, swarm drones can avoid collisions, maintain formation, and respond to evolving circumstances or mission objectives. 

In essence, communications act as the proverbial glue that holds the operation together. Without constant exchange of info, the swarm won’t be able to function as a cohesive, self-sufficient unit.

Navigating the Airwaves 

There are two ways to go about making sure individual drones communicate with each other.

First off, there is centralized control. Operator(s) from a ground station dishes out clear, specific instructions, making sure all the drones are on the same page and working together in unison.

Then there’s decentralized control, which gives autonomous drones the freedom to do their own thing. 

Take wildfire management, for example. The operator tells the drones to keep an eye on how it’s spreading. From there, the drones take it up among themselves to figure out the best way to capture footage of the situation.

The Role of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

When it comes to drone swarm technologies, most solutions out there work with a centralized control system. But then, there are those rare gems like AiDEN that take things a step further by offering autonomous fleet management features.

What sets AiDEN apart are computer vision algorithms. They basically give the drones a set of eyes, allowing them to adapt on the fly to whatever curveball the mission throws their way. And with the boost from 5G networks, AiDEN keeps the swarm going strong even in places where GPS signals get wonky or jammed.

But let’s be real – not every solution out there has the chops to match the level of technological maturity seen in AiDEN. It’s not easy, and we can’t blame solution providers for facing a mountain of challenges on the road to achieving that same level of autonomy.

Challenges

That said, let’s dive into the hurdles that solution providers typically face when they’re finetuning their swarm tech.

First up, we’ve got coordinated control. Every unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) needs to know where it stands to avoid bumping into other UAVs. Keeping the lines of communication clear within the swarm isn’t always a walk in the park, especially in places with spotty signals or limited bandwidth.

Then there’s scalability. Managing a whole army of drones is like juggling a dozen balls at once – you need a rock-solid algorithmic backbone to handle all that computational heavy lifting.

Next on the checklist is fault tolerance. From hardware hiccups to software glitches, there’s always something to watch out for. The key here is to build a system that can weather the failures without putting the mission in jeopardy.

Last but not least, regulatory framework. Navigating through the maze of regulations can feel like threading a needle. Every jurisdiction has its own playbook, which adds an extra layer of complexity. Ensuring compliance means crossing every ‘t’ and dotting every ‘i’, possibly even snagging special permits along the way. 

Why Opt for Drone Swarm Technology?

Navigating those hurdles is no cakewalk. But dare we say it’s worth every ounce of effort.

Why? Because drone swarms are productivity powerhouses. When multiple drones team up, they cover more ground and tackle tasks in a fraction of the time.

And this isn’t just for one industry – we’re talking across the board. Whether it’s monitoring vast farmlands, inspecting construction sites, or jumping into rescue missions, swarms are the go-to for getting things done with unparalleled efficiency.

Applications

Here’s a closer look at how various industries are tapping into the potential of swarm technology.

1. Asset Maintenance. Ensuring the safety and integrity of critical infrastructures through meticulous inspections. 
2. Construction. Streamlining site surveys, monitoring progress, and inspecting structures.
3. Emergency Management. Assessing the extent of damages and mapping affected areas following natural disasters and disease outbreaks.
4. Military. Gathering intelligence on enemy activities through strategic reconnaissance. 
5. Logistics and Warehousing. Mapping the warehouse facility to optimize space utilization and shelving configurations.
6. Search and Rescue. Surveilling large areas that are difficult or dangerous for humans to access to locate survivors and provide assistance.
7. Security. Providing a bird’s-eye-view of the surroundings and patrolling the perimeters of commercial facilities for enhanced situational awareness.

Introducing the New Gold Standard of Drone Swarms

What if we told you there’s a solution that could tackle missions across sectors, all the while catering to the unique demands of each one?

Sounds more like a pipedream, right? Well, believe it or not, it’s real. And that reality is branded with five letters – AiDEN.

How, you ask? Well, let’s start with the basics: real-time communication. We’ve sung its praises time and time again, but AiDEN takes it to the next level. Instead of relying on navigation sensors, AiDEN has drones constantly exchanging info. That means AiDEN can be counted on to carry out the swarm even in environments such as indoor or underground facilities where GPS signals may falter.

But that’s not all – AiDEN’s got some serious hardware chops, too. From top-notch sensors to materials compliant with NDAA standards, it’s built to last. And get this – despite weighing in at just around four pounds, it’s tough as nails. We’re talking MIL-STD-810 testing tough. So whether you’re in defense, public safety, or infrastructure inspections, AiDEN’s got your back.

Want to see it in action? Drop us a line, and we’ll set you up with a demo. Trust us, you won’t want to miss out.

The landscape of warfare has undergone a profound transformation.

From the days of stone-hurling catapults, we now find ourselves in an era where unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) can wreak havoc upon enemy bases.

As instruments of destruction march forward, military tacticians grapple with a pivotal question: What signals the dawn of the next chapter in warfare?

The answer takes shape against the canvas of the vast blue sky.

Tracing the Evolution of Armed Drones

Contrary to popular belief, the idea of unmanned aerial vehicles, or as we fondly call them, drones, didn’t start with the sleek, four-winged machines we see today. The very first iteration of drones took a rather adventurous form – explosive-laden hot-air balloons used to assail Venice. It was an audacious start that didn’t quite pan out the way the Austrians had hoped.

Nevertheless, the concept of UAVs stuck around.

The next significant leap in drone evolution came during the Great War when the British deployed remote-controlled planes to scout the German front lines.

Fast forward to the years preceding World War II, the modern concept of combat drones began to emerge. Initially employed for target practice and reconnaissance, they soon stepped into the limelight as WWII loomed closer.

The turning point came during the Vietnam War when, following extensive research and development, the MQ-1 Predator made its grand debut. Armed with real-time video transmission and Hellfire missiles, the Predator marked a watershed moment in drone capabilities, laying the groundwork for their integral role in modern military operations.

Types of Military Drones

Not all drones are created equal. 

Equipping commercial drones with hefty missiles and firearms wouldn’t make sense, just as fitting massive planes with tiny cameras for covert operations would be a little impractical.

So, let’s break it down. Here are various types of drones, each crafted for specific purposes and applications.

Fixed-Wing

The secret to keeping airplanes airborne lies in perpetual motion. Modeled after airplanes, fixed-wing drones rely on continuous forward movement to stay aloft.

This need for perpetual motion brings with it a host of advantages, chief among them being energy efficiency.

Unlike their rotor-powered counterparts, fixed-wing vehicles boast extended flight times, impressive cargo capacities, an uncanny ability to reach great altitudes, and a knack for tearing through the air at remarkable speeds.

It’s no wonder that drones engineered for combat missions, tasked with neutralizing enemy threats, often fall under the fixed-wing category, exemplified by iconic models like the MQ-9 Reaper or AeroVironment Switchblade.

Single-Rotor

Next up – single-rotor drones.

In the ever-evolving landscape of modern warfare, battles extend beyond traditional battlefields into the digital domain.

Enter single-rotor drones equipped with a main rotor typically accompanied by a delicate tail rotor.

Their specialty? Disrupting enemy communication and radar systems, throwing a wrench into adverse operations.

But that’s not where their story ends. Single-rotor drones, with load-bearing capacities that can rival or even surpass fixed-wing aircraft, excel as incredible transporters. Whether it’s ferrying supplies, equipment, or medical aid to remote or inaccessible locations, these drones provide a lifeline in situations where conventional logistics may prove impractical or hazardous.

However, such prowess comes at a cost – quite literally. Single-rotor drones often come with a heftier price tag than their fixed-wing counterparts, along with the need for extensive training and sizable landing areas.

Multirotor

Now, let’s address a critical component missing from our military repertoire: intelligence.

In the realm of modern-day intelligence gathering, multirotor drones take center stage.

With unparalleled maneuverability, cost-effectiveness, and superior control over positioning, multirotor drones reign supreme as the top choice for securing a bird’s-eye view.

Within the context of combat, multi-rotor drones are proving their worth, thanks to their pint-sized stature, low noise profile, and rapid deployability.

Spotting these drones, especially as they glide through the shadows, poses a formidable challenge, making them the ideal choice for covert missions and high-stakes situations that demand swift, laser-precise intelligence.

Drones on Duty 

Let’s delve deeper into the dynamic world of drone warfare beyond the realms of direct combat, jamming, and intelligence and through the nuanced and varied ways these unmanned marvels are proving their worth.

Precision Strikes

Drones possess not only keen eyesight for accurate target acquisition but also the agility to execute mid-air maneuvers as deftly as a seasoned pilot adjusting their trajectory. 

zImagine the impact of airstrikes when every missile homes in on its target, guided by real-time coordination from the main control center. It’s like hitting the bullseye every single time.

Multiplication Effect

It may seem obvious, but drones can bolster intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities without requiring a significant increase in manpower. They serve as a force multiplier in the air, enabling military units to traverse the battlefield with agility and flexibility, leaving adversaries wondering if they’re facing a supercharged army.

Tactical Training

These unmanned marvels don’t just soar through the skies; they also elevate military training to unprecedented levels.

Drones can be programmed to replicate enemy movements or simulate potential threats, providing a safe and controlled environment for personnel to sharpen their tactics, techniques, and procedures. It’s like having access to a futuristic training ground where the stakes are virtual, yet the skills acquired are undeniably real.

Psychological Warfare

But wait, there’s more. Drones aren’t just instruments of precision and power; they’re also psychological masterminds. 

Need to spread a message or counter a narrative from the adversary? Drones can adeptly handle the art of propaganda dissemination, weaving through the airwaves to shape perceptions and influence outcomes.

Drone Advantages: Military Game-Changer

Drones are undeniably rewriting the playbook on military operations, as evidenced by the surge in the global combat drone market. Projected to reach a staggering $36 billion by the decade’s end, with an impressive 14 percent compound annual growth rate (CAGR), the trajectory of drones in the military sphere is nothing short of remarkable.

That said, here’s why these unmanned marvels are stealing the spotlight. 

Reduced Risk, Maximum Impact

Think missions executed with surgical precision, all without risking the lives of brave men and women on the front lines.

Combat drones take charge in hazardous situations, keeping our heroes out of harm’s way. Plus, with remote operation capabilities, human pilots can kick back, far removed from danger. 

Endurance Beyond Human Limits

Humans have their limits, especially when it comes to enduring long hours in the sky. Drones, though? They laugh in the face of fatigue. These airborne wonders can linger in the sky for hours on end, gathering intel with the precision of a hawk spotting its prey. 

Saving Money and Time

Now, let’s talk green – not the camouflage kind, but the color of cold, hard cash.

Sure, introducing drones may come with startup costs, but once they’re in play, they’re among the thriftiest players on the field. Unlike their human-piloted counterparts, drones don’t require the same level of attention and care in terms of maintenance, fuel, and infrastructure.

Challenges in Military Drone Deployment

Every technological marvel comes with its intricacies, and the integration of drones in military operations is no different. While their advantages are undeniable, certain areas present hurdles that call for attention and improvement.

First and foremost: payload constraints. Tailored for specific tasks like reconnaissance or targeted strikes, many military drones face limitations in executing diverse missions.

Next up, weather conditions. Lighter and smaller than their manned counterparts, drones encounter stability challenges in adverse weather. Sensor systems may be hindered, restricting their ability to fly and gather precise data under such conditions.

Lastly, cybersecurity emerges as a significant concern. The reliance of drones on satellite or radio frequency communication links renders them vulnerable to jamming, interception, and other forms of electronic warfare.

Ensuring robust data security becomes imperative in safeguarding the effectiveness and integrity of military drone operations.

Redefining Military Operations in the Face of Challenges

In a landscape marked by barriers to progress, AiDEN takes the lead, breaking free from constraints that have long impeded the widespread use of enterprise drones in military endeavors.

AiDEN’s standout feature? Robust cybersecurity. Powered by proprietary software, a deliberate departure from open-source alternatives, AiDEN stands resilient against cyber threats.

In alignment with the stringent criteria outlined in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), AiDEN upholds rigorous safety and security standards set forth by the military and government.

Adding to its resilience, AiDEN is undergoing rigorous MIL-STD-810H testing to further fortify its ability to withstand an array of conditions. And as the pièce de résistance, AiDEN runs on hot-swappable batteries, ensuring uninterrupted operations for extended durations.

With its imperviousness to cyber threats, durability in harsh environments, and enhanced operational capabilities, AiDEN emerges as an indispensable asset in the field, seamlessly adapting to the dynamic nature of military operations.

Peering into the future of drone technology, AiDEN stands as a beacon of triumph and progress, ushering us into an era of heightened efficiency and effectiveness across a myriad of military applications.

Drones these days get a bad rep. Guess that’s hardly a surprise when every headline is about another drone swarm taking an additional batch of human lives. 

That’s not to say the disproportionate attention to the military use of drones is entirely fair. Because, within industrial settings, drones have propelled operational efficiency to a level none of us thought possible while sparing countless lives in the process. 

On behalf of like-minded service providers who revel in the potential of drones to serve as an agent of the greater good, we hereby chart out all there’s to know about autonomous drones and how they’ve transformed our lives for the better.

What Makes a Drone Autonomous?

A drone is an umbrella term for any aircraft that can fly without a human pilot onboard. Hence the reason why a drone is often referred to as an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). 

Now, there are two ways to go about flying an aircraft without giving direct commands. It can be controlled remotely or equipped with intelligent drone systems that allow the drone to self-pilot a premeditated flight path. The latter needs to be the case for a drone to be considered autonomous.

Are All Autonomous Drones Created Equal?

Here’s a million-dollar question. You see a drone zip through an obstacle course all by itself. Would that make the drone autonomous? 

Well, not quite. 

A considerable degree of autonomy is required to navigate a cluttered environment. Robust self-flying capacity, however, doesn’t make up for the whole story. For a flight to be truly autonomous, a drone must figure out when and where to fly, not just how. 

Unfortunately, the level of technological maturity isn’t quite there yet. Whether it’s planning, dispatch, operational control, or postflight data analysis, a certain degree of human input is necessary to ensure the entire process remains airtight. 

Levels of Autonomy

The chart above outlines different levels of drone autonomy. Let’s break it down a little more. 

• Level 0. The pilot remains in full control throughout from takeoff to landing. Doomed to crash otherwise.   
• Level 1. A specific function of the flight – generally position sensing or obstacle detection – is automated. Drones to remain in the pilot’s visual line of sight (VLOS). 
• Level 2. Drones send out warning signs when an object moves in too close. The pilot is in charge of safe operation and keeping drones within VLOS. 
• Level 3. The pilot is present purely as a backup. Payload comprised of devices and sensors allows drones to fly a pre-programmed path without running into obstacles. 
• Level 4. On-site presence is no longer necessary. With clearance, operations can take place beyond visual line of sight (BLVOS) as drones are capable of flying through harsh conditions and have a failsafe to fall back on in cases of breakdown. 
• Level 5. Drones handle all the legwork that goes into a flight. The technology and legal framework to accommodate full autonomy are still in the test phase.  

Why Does Drone Autonomy Matter? 

The degree of drone autonomy can make or break operational success. 

Think about it. The whole point of using drones is to have them plow through and capture high-quality data from areas and assets that are either undesirable or unfit to be surveyed manually. With level 2 UAVs and below, the skill level of the operator will come to dictate how useful the collected data turns out to be.

Of course, this wouldn’t have been much of an issue had the talent pool of skilled pilots been deep. But tracking down an experienced and qualified operator who understands the structural complexity of the asset is like finding a needle in a haystack. And even when the right talent turns up, their services tend to cost all four limbs. 

UAV Remote Sensing Applications

If you can’t already tell, the industrial use of autonomous drones is incredibly diverse–asset inspection, environmental monitoring, precision agriculture, site surveillance, and so forth so on. 

One thing to note is that all these tasks fall under the roof of remote sensing, which, in essence, refers to contactless data collection. 

So, how do autonomous drones go about remote sensing to collect aerial data? Three different ways.   

Photogrammetry 

Perhaps the most well-established aerial surveying technique, photogrammetry captures hundreds and thousands of snapshots over a specific surface area before stitching them together into a three-dimensional (3D) rendering.

The value of resulting 3D models is proving to be immense. Particularly within the O&M industry that has long been putting up with inefficient and hazardous manual inspection processes, drone photogrammetry is turning out to be a game-changer.

If anything, a video is worth a million words. Check out the clip below to get a close-up look into how drone photogrammetry takes place within the context of wind turbine inspections.

Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) 

LiDAR won’t come to you as a brand-new concept should you be at all familiar with the workings of a radar. 

As radar does with radio waves, LiDAR emits high-powered lasers at a target to measure the angle, intensity, and timing of the reflected pulses. The collected data points then go through mapping software to recreate a three-dimensional model, which helps site managers detect irregularities across a set area and gauge optimal uses of the land. 

Keep in mind that the ability of LiDAR to provide a bird’s eye view of a mapped area doesn’t make up for the lack of photographic depth. To get the look and feel of a particular terrain supported by color and texture, you’ll need to opt for photogrammetry. 

Thermal 

Not all defects are there for the naked eye to catch. Sometimes, the only way to make sure the assets are being maintained properly is to look past visual cues. An indicator that industries can resort to in those instances is heat. 

Take a look at the transmission sector to see what thermal drones have to offer. Insulation is of paramount importance to transport materials from A to B. Cross-referencing heat levels across the pipeline brings out internal freezes and leaks into the open.

Thermal sensors, however, are uber-sensitive to weather conditions. To avoid the heatmap from coming out as a blur, the drones mustn’t be flown in windy or humid climates nor go past 8.95 miles per hour. 

What Are Autonomous Drones Used For? 

UAV-based remote sensing techniques have opened up new avenues of growth across industries. 

Here’s how. 

Agriculture

There’s more to agribusiness than meets the eye. Planting and watering crops don’t cut it. 

Quality production depends on how well the crops can be preserved from constantly shifting environmental factors. To do so, farmers must keep close tabs on soil health, irrigation conditions, heat levels, and more. 

Running a comprehensive farmland analysis meant tapping into aerial mapping services led by full-fledged aircraft. Now, an autonomous drone can get the job done on a weekly or even daily basis at a fraction of the cost, which perhaps goes to show why the global market for agricultural drones has grown from $494 million to $6.28 billion over the past six years. 

Construction 

Site selection forms the building block of any successful construction project.

The good news is construction managers don’t need to start from scratch. They usually have access to relevant maps and studies from previous projects. The bad news is the shape of the terrains is subject to constant change due to hydraulic erosion and sedimentation, and the information in front of them might as well be obsolete.

Thanks to drones, old literature isn’t all there is for site managers to go off of. They can get their hands on the latest topographic profile of a given terrain through autonomous flight. The 3D rendering modeled after high-resolution images helps site managers to make out preconstruction challenges and volumetric measurements, letting them double down on their construction plans.

With more than half of the civil construction projects relying on UAVs to handle everyday needs, the worldwide market for construction drones, currently at around $5 billion, is slated to double in value over the next five years.  

Infrastructure Inspection 

Building assets from the ground up is one thing. Maintaining them is another. 

More often than not, proper maintenance proves to be a tougher challenge than getting assets up and running. The reasons are twofold – 1) the pace of degradation tends to be faster as assets wear and tear with everyday use; 2) traditional means of inspections are ridden with costly, time-consuming, and potentially fatal manual processes.

Let’s take a closer look at how autonomous drones have changed the status quo under different industrial contexts. 

Bridges

Do you remember all those times you had to take a roundabout route due to bridge-related lane closure? While certainly frustrating, now you can take comfort in that it isn’t your life hanging by a thread every passing second the bridge remains closed.

Before drones found their way into the scene, inspectors spent days rappelling across steel slopes looking for cracks and delamination. That’s to say inspections banked on the optical acuity of the technicians, which came at the risk of letting certain defects go unnoticed.

Letting drones do the work instead did wonders. It removed personnel from harm’s reach while giving way for artificial intelligence (AI) to catch the defects with pinpoint accuracy.

Mining 

Mining is a precarious pursuit. Dubbed with the fact that the law mandates inspections to be done on a quarterly basis for underground sites, a mining company deals with a whole lot of responsibility to save their workers from getting exposed to toxic gases and hazardous wastes.

By virtue of autonomous drones, mining companies can now keep close tabs on coal, temperature, ore passes, and other areas of mining management without putting the well-being of employees at risk.

Utility Towers

The tale of the tower inspections isn’t all that different from its bridge counterpart. Meaning it’s the sacrifices rope-access technicians have made behind the scenes that give us the privilege of being able to enjoy fast and stable network services around the world.

But now that carriers are calling for enhanced 4G and 5G capacity left and right, mustering up the manpower to accommodate the growing demand for bigger and better cell towers will be a Herculean challenge. 

Well, if UAVs hadn’t been a thing, that is. 

Equipping the drones with computer vision and cameras, inspections are done in a matter of hours without forcing anyone to crawl around the tower at a staggering height.  

Wind Turbines

Now, you might have noticed a bit of a theme going around here – vastly cheaper, faster, and safer means of inspection. That’s the name of the game when it comes to the industrial applications of UAVs. 

Wind energy is no exception. Drones have completely changed the way turbines are looked after. 

Asides from giving turbines a rough scan with a binocular or camera from the ground, there were two ways to go about turbine inspections before drones were introduced. Either set up a scaffold around the turbine or bring in a technician for a rope access operation. As you can imagine, neither proved particularly productive nor reliable, with a typical turnaround time of no less than six hours. 

Meanwhile, drones take more or less 15 minutes to survey a full-sized turbine. Research has shown that highly autonomous solutions such as NearthWIND Pro can lead to a 70 and 90 percent drop in inspection and downtime costs, respectively.

All this is to say that the efficacy of UAV technology is resounding through the corridors of industrial facilities, which is set to culminate in a $35 billion drone inspection market. 

Public Safety 

Put yourself in the shoes of a new police recruit dispatched to a crime scene. 

All psyched up to make your first arrest, you hop in your cruiser and rev up the engine. As it turns out, the road has zero concern for your heroic pursuit, as illustrated by the traffic jam. Once you arrive at the reported site, it’s ten minutes too late, and you’re back to square one. 

The point here is police work happens on the fly. But the mobility of most vehicles is compromised by a host of factors, including accidents, traffic jams, and road work. 

Now, imagine there had been a drone tied to the top of your cruiser. Treating the patrol car as a base station, the drone is deployed to capture the crime scene as it unfolds and provide you with the much-needed situational awareness to chart out the next steps. 

Make no mistake. The market for public safety drones is relatively nascent. It may be a while before we see drones take part in routine police work. For the time being, drones are used to put together 3D orthomosaic maps to help preplan emergencies and reconstruct accidents.

The Future of Autonomous Drone Solutions 

The best part of it all is that there’s still much room for innovation when it comes to commercial drone use. 

Namely, a world where self-reliant drones float through the sky is no longer science fiction. As we transition to that very future, companies that harness the power of autonomous drones will be able to get more done in less time, unlocking next-level productivity and growth.

Don’t know where to start? Find out how Nearthlab’s suite of autonomous drone solutions can help you gather and analyze aerial data in an efficient and seamless fashion. Unlock actionable insights that drive your business forward.