Mini Drones That Can See In The Dark

Camera-armed multi-rotor drones take great pictures…during the day. But if they are to guide themselves through darkened rooms and buildings, they need to see in low-light conditions while quickly moving.

A new type of visual sensor developed by Swiss researchers will allow drones to see as human eyes do. That will enable small drones to be more useful in both “civilian and military applications,” such as finding people trapped in rubble or during complex urban warfare scenarios, the research team’s head said.

Conventional cameras work by collecting lots of information about light (specifically, its intensity). They treat all the data equally, which is fine for taking single pictures. But when the light is low, or when the camera is moving, as it would on a drone, that technique produces blurred pictures that don’t convey any useful information.  

The Dynamic Vision Sensor, or DVS, works differently. “Instead of wastefully sending entire images at fixed frame rates, only the local pixel-level changes caused by movement in a scene are transmitted, at the time they occur,” explained David Scaramuzza, one of the paper’s authors and the head of the Director of the Robotics Perception Group at the University of Zurich.

The DVS works much more the way an eye does, looking for areas of the field where there is some change in the light intensity. Focusing on such changes, which Scaramuzza called “events,” can help the entire system to see both movement and edges in low light much more efficiently.

In their paper, Scaramuzza’s team describe a hybrid approach that uses the DVS event camera to transmit data about changes in brightness as well as collecting standard frames.

They conducted two experiments, including the first autonomous flight of a drone using an event camera. In one experiment, they switched the light on and off as the drone flew around the room, forcing it to focus on the events, coupled with measurements it gathered while the light was on. In the second one, the drone flew autonomously, in darkness, in ever-faster circles to see how will the technique worked when the drone was moving quickly.

They found that their DVS-equipped drone saw 130 percent better than a similar system relying exclusively on event data and 85 percent better than a system relying only on standard data.

The University of Zurich researchers worked with the Swiss research consortium NCCR Robotics in the effort, which was partially funded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, or DARPA.
 
The US military is increasingly concerned with how to wage war in dense urban environments, particularly where GPS signals are blocked or are hard to acquire.

DefenseOne:

You Might Also Read:

Drones, Satellites And Cyber Warfare:

Drones For Rail & Road Tunnel Inspections:

 

« US Air Force Hacked By Teenager
What Is Edge Computing? »

CyberSecurity Jobsite
Perimeter 81

Directory of Suppliers

CYRIN

CYRIN

CYRIN® Cyber Range. Real Tools, Real Attacks, Real Scenarios. See why leading educational institutions and companies in the U.S. have begun to adopt the CYRIN® system.

Jooble

Jooble

Jooble is a job search aggregator operating in 71 countries worldwide. We simplify the job search process by displaying active job ads from major job boards and career sites across the internet.

CSI Consulting Services

CSI Consulting Services

Get Advice From The Experts: * Training * Penetration Testing * Data Governance * GDPR Compliance. Connecting you to the best in the business.

Authentic8

Authentic8

Authentic8 transforms how organizations secure and control the use of the web with Silo, its patented cloud browser.

MIRACL

MIRACL

MIRACL provides the world’s only single step Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) which can replace passwords on 100% of mobiles, desktops or even Smart TVs.

mile2

mile2

Mile2 develop and deliver proprietary vendor neutral professional certifications for the cyber security industry.

CGI Group

CGI Group

CGI is a leading IT and business process services provider. Services include IT consulting, Systems Integration, Application Development, Infrastructure, Business Processes, Digital IP.

Center for Internet Security (CIS)

Center for Internet Security (CIS)

CIS is a nonprofit entity that harnesses the power of a global IT community to safeguard private and public organizations against cyber threats.

Datec PNG

Datec PNG

Datec is the the largest end-to-end information and communications technology solutions and services provider in Papua New Guinea.

Fingent

Fingent

Fingent develops strategic software solutions for businesses across the globe in areas including Network Security, Infrastructure Security, Application Security, Risk and Compliance.

Business Resilience International Management (BRIM)

Business Resilience International Management (BRIM)

Business Resilience International Management (BRIM) is engaged by law enforcement in the UK and overseas to advise on establishing and developing Cyber Resilience Centres (CRCs) for business.

New Net Technologies (NNT)

New Net Technologies (NNT)

NNT SecureOps provides ultimate protection against all forms of cyberattack and data breaches by automating the essential security controls.

Presidio Identity

Presidio Identity

Presidio Identity offers a digital-native approach that brings security, privacy, and simplicity to user authentication and digital interactions.

Bright Pixel Capital

Bright Pixel Capital

Bright Pixel Capital is a venture capital company with a focus on Cybersecurity, Retail Technologies, Digital Infrastructure and Emerging Technologies.

Atlantic Data Security

Atlantic Data Security

Atlantic Data Security is skilled in the analysis, recommendation, deployment, and management of all critical components of the security infrastructure.

MedSec

MedSec

MedSec is the only company of its type focused solely on cybersecurity for hospitals and medical device manufacturers, offering both a cybersecurity software solution and consulting services.

GoPro Consultants

GoPro Consultants

GoPro Consultants is an IT Consultancy and IT Managed services provider Globally with immeasurable expertise of IT professionals in Hardware/Support & Consultancy and Project Planning.

ExchangeDefender

ExchangeDefender

ExchangeDefender provides cybersecurity services that secures your company email and data, and guarantees 24/7 email access.

nandin Innovation Centre

nandin Innovation Centre

nandin is ANSTO’s Innovation Centre (Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation) where science and technology entrepreneurs, startups and graduates come together.

Runecast Solutions

Runecast Solutions

Runecast Solutions is a global leader in AI-powered risk mitigation, security, continuous compliance and more efficient IT operations management.

Intelidata Techedge Pvt. Ltd.

Intelidata Techedge Pvt. Ltd.

Intelidata are a Global Cyber Security Consultancy and Services firm that helps companies drive growth by minimizing risk and maximizing potential.