Advanced Air Mobility Drones Emerging Technologies Modern Flying News

NASA Pod Helps Self-Flying Aircraft ‘See’ Surroundings

The space agency’s AIRVUE project uses cameras and sensors to collect information on obstacles in the environment, compiling it into a massive database.

Tuesday, August 27, 2024 at 04:31 PM ET

Verified

NASA’s AIRVUE pod uses cameras and sensors to collect data that can train autonomous aircraft to perceive obstacles. [Courtesy: NASA]

Key Takeaways:

NASA introduced AIRVUE, a specialized pod that attaches to helicopters to collect real-world visual data, training autonomous Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) aircraft (e.g., air taxis, drones) to detect obstacles.
The data collected by AIRVUE will be openly shared with AAM manufacturers to provide essential fuel for machine learning, aiming to inspire innovation and overcome data fragmentation in the developing industry.
NASA is actively involved in the broader AAM mission, collaborating with companies on various research areas like turbulence, noise, and battery safety, and assisting the FAA in developing regulations for drone operations.

See a mistake? Contact us.

Advanced air mobility (AAM) aircraft, including electric air taxis and drones, are beginning to hit the skies, and NASA has skin in the game.

The space agency on Monday introduced the Airborne Instrumentation for Real-world Video of Urban Environments, or AIRVUE—a specially designed pod that attaches to the bottom of a helicopter and can train AAM aircraft to “see” obstacles in their path. The technology is designed to hone computer vision systems for autonomous flight.

Jack Daleo

Jack is a staff writer covering advanced air mobility, including everything from drones to unmanned aircraft systems to space travel—and a whole lot more. He spent close to two years reporting on drone delivery for FreightWaves, covering the biggest news and developments in the space and connecting with industry executives and experts. Jack is also a basketball aficionado, a frequent traveler and a lover of all things logistics.