The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is testing autonomous drones that can maneuver around obstacles at up to 45 mph. The devices are part of DARPA’s FLA program, short for Fast Lightweight Autonomy, which is developing drones for disaster relief and military reconnaissance.
DARPA used a hodgepodge of different drone parts to create the UAVs, including a commercial DJI Flamewheel 450 frame and a 3D Robotics Pixhawk onboard autopilot system. In its first successful test, DARPA got its drones flying autonomously at the desired speed and also tested the drone’s ability to “see” obstacles using cameras, inertia measurement devices, and LIDAR and sonar sensors.
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This article originally appeared on Recode.net.
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