NASA Issues Open Invitation to Bi-Annual Technology Workshop

NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, VA has issued an open invitation to the drone community to attend their bi-annual technology workshop.  “This one-day event will feature three prominent UAV-related technologies with presentations from inventors, flight demonstrations, 1-on-1 meetings, and an exciting tour of NASA Langley Research Center,” says NASA.  The event is a rare opportunity for members of the public to meet top technology players in the industry at the National Institute of Aerospace.

The three drone technologies being featured are Safe2Ditch, SafeGuard, and UAV Corona Detection.

Safe2Ditch is an autonomous crash management system that enables landing to a safe and clear ditch site in the event of an unexpected critical flight issue. This is done autonomously, without any assistance from a safety pilot or ground station.  NASA says the technology could lead to permissible drone operations even in suburban environments.

The second presentation will be on SafeGuard, which uses a geo-fence system to alleviate the dangers of unmanned aircrafts flying beyond their authorized perimeters and into no-fly zones, taking action to guarantee the perimeters are not breached.  It’s a technology safety net for drones – and another technology that could lead to allowing drones in a variety of different environments.

The final presentation will be on an improved method of detecting power line faults. The system is called UAV Corona Detection, which enables safe, autonomous inspection of high-voltage power grids. This system uses drone mounted ultraviolet cameras to detect, inspect, and analyze a corona discharge.  This technology represents a major innovation in a high value commercial drone application.

Space in the workshop is limited, so pre-registration is required.