The Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Laboratory (AIRL) at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore has developed a significant indigenous autopilot system for drones, powered by Vega Microcontrollers developed by CDAC.
It is capable of controlling the drone’s flight, navigation, and payload operations. It is also equipped with a number of features that make it suitable for a variety of applications, such as surveillance, delivery, and mapping.
The development of this autopilot system marks a significant stride in indigenous drone technology. Moreover, it highlights the immense potential of domestic solutions in the unmanned aerial systems domain. Anticipatedly, this system will propel field advancements, consequently fostering the growth of India’s drone ecosystem.
Here are some of the key features of the IISc autopilot system:
- Built on RISC-V, an open-source instruction set, it offers heightened security and reliability compared to conventional autopilots.
- It equips with a camera, a GPS receiver, and an inertial measurement unit. These sensors allow the it to accurately control the drone’s flight, navigation, and payload operations.
- The autopilot system also has a number of safety features, such as a fail-safe mode and a return-to-home function. These features ensure that the drone can safely return to its starting point in the event of a malfunction.
Currently, researchers are testing the IISc autopilot system across various applications. The lab is confident that the system will be commercially available in the near future.
The IISc and the Indian drone ecosystem have achieved a significant milestone with the development of this system. This indigenous drone autopilot system marks a significant advancement in Indian drone technology development, and experts anticipate that it will positively influence the expansion of the drone industry in India.