Quadcopter Drone Network Will Transport Supplies For Disaster Relief

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Quadcopter Drone Network Will Transport Supplies For Disaster Relief

Posted by Soulskill on Tuesday May 21, 2013 @06:12PM from the rise-of-the-machines dept.

kkleiner writes "A startup called Matternet is building a network of quadcopter drones to deliver vital goods to remote areas and emergency supplies to disaster-stricken areas. The installation of solar-powered fueling station and an operating system to allow for communications with local aviation authorities will allow the network to be available around the clock and in the farthest reaches of the world. 'Matternet’s drone network has three key components. First, the drones—custom-built autonomous electric quadcopters with GPS and sensors, capable of carrying a few kilos up to 10 kilometers (and more as the tech advances). Next, the firm will set up a network of solar-powered charging stations where drones autonomously drop off dead batteries and pick up charged ones. A drone battery that can travel 10 km need not limit the drone itself to 10 km — rather, these drones can theoretically travel the whole network by swapping out batteries. The final component will be an operating system to orchestrate the drone web, share information with aviation authorities, and fly missions 24/7/365.'"

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Thunderbirds are GO by Neo-Rio-101 · 2013-05-21 18:17 · Score: 2

Well now, the Thunderbirds are truly obsolete!

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1. Re:Thunderbirds are GO by rossdee · 2013-05-21 18:53 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  "the Thunderbirds are truly obsolete!"
  Don't worry, Mozilla will have a new version out next week.
Yeah, like that'll work by Anonymous Coward · 2013-05-21 18:18 · Score: 2, Insightful

In the sort of remote disaster prone areas that this would be useful, the batteries and any copper will be ratted by the locals, and everywhere else, the stations will be used as target practice.
1. Re:Yeah, like that'll work by Immerman · 2013-05-21 18:32 · Score: 4, Insightful
  
  You have a dim view of humanity my anonymous friend. Justified, perhaps, but dim.
  What I want to know if why the %$#@! are they using electric drones if the idea is to service remote areas? 10km? Give me a couple days to warm up and I could carry 100lbs/day of supplys that far on foot without hardly trying. Electric is nice and all but it's still what, an order of magnitude or so lower in energy density than hydrocarbons? When you choose ideaology or engineeering convenience over actual real-world use-case scenarios don't be surprised when your brilliant new product is still-born.
  
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2. Re:Yeah, like that'll work by SuricouRaven · 2013-05-21 18:43 · Score: 4, Insightful
  
  Stations are no fun to shoot.
  The *drones* will be used as target practice. Not only good practice, but you get to play the mail-theft lottery. Shoot down a drone, maybe it's got a valuable cargo of expensive drugs. Or at least some food.
3. Re:Yeah, like that'll work by SuricouRaven · 2013-05-21 18:47 · Score: 4, Insightful
  
  Response time. You have to follow terrain, the drone does it in a straight line and at higher speed.
  The electric I imagine is so the charging stations can operate for years without refueling or repair. A useful feature, as they are all advertising expensive parts ready for the looting, so would probably have to be placed in concealed, inaccessible locations in the middle of nowhere. Of course, they could just use a much larger drone with an engine and not need the stations at all... it'd seem easier to just automate the long-established airdrop technology. Plane flies out, drops crates of supplies on parachute, plane flies back.
4. Re: Yeah, like that'll work by Electricity+Likes+Me · 2013-05-21 18:50 · Score: 2
  
  Because how do you think petrol gets from point A to point B?
Neat by maitai · 2013-05-21 18:27 · Score: 3, Insightful

So a startup is trying to cash in on recent disasters with stuff that sounds great in the news feeds but they have no chance of actually deploying? Ok.
Obligatory by antifoidulus · 2013-05-21 18:34 · Score: 2

Supplies...including tacos?

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Drone disaster releif by rossdee · 2013-05-21 18:50 · Score: 2

Sounds good for eathquakes, but how well do they fly in a hurricane or severe thunderstorm
1. Re:Drone disaster releif by msauve · 2013-05-21 19:05 · Score: 2
  
  Fly? They're not really supposed to fly. They're supposed to collect grant money.
  
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fascinating to think it could work by phantomfive · 2013-05-21 19:00 · Score: 2

It fascinates me that they think they could make a profit with something like this.

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1. Re:fascinating to think it could work by Anonymous Coward · 2013-05-21 19:31 · Score: 2, Interesting
  
  It fascinates me that they think they could make a profit with something like this.
  They don't make money off of what they're producing, they make money from the VCs. I think most of you know this already.
  1. Come up with something that seems new and unique but is totally useless (a few kilograms over 10km, really?).
  2. Get VC funding.
  3. Pay yourself a salary (Profit!) while you do "research and development" for a few years until the VC funding runs out and they realize your idea isn't going to work in the real world.
  4. Go to step 1.
fly missions 24/7/365? in all weathers? by fantomas · 2013-05-21 19:34 · Score: 3, Interesting

My impression was that copters are difficult to fly in high winds/storm conditions. Is this true? will this also be true of these copters? If so, the claim that they can fly 24/7/365 is perhaps not credible?
1. Re:fly missions 24/7/365? in all weathers? by c0lo · 2013-05-21 21:14 · Score: 2
  
  fly missions 24/7/365?
  Yes, indeed: they'll take a break in leap years.
  
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speed compared to local and donkey? by fantomas · 2013-05-21 19:37 · Score: 2

What is their average speed and reliability compared to a local with a donkey (classic and well proven difficult terrain portering option)?
1. Re:speed compared to local and donkey? by c0lo · 2013-05-21 21:20 · Score: 2
  
  TFS
  
  will allow the network to be available around the clock and in the farthest reaches of the world.
  Well, the patent for donkeys expired for some time: no way to get some money for building a network of donkeys in the far reaches of the world. Besides, I don't see how one may outsource the construction of donkeys to China.
  
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2. Re:speed compared to local and donkey? by khakipuce · 2013-05-21 23:46 · Score: 2
  
  Or compared to the carrying capacity of an African Swallow
  
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Re:Sounds like a pretty good system by stephanruby · 2013-05-21 20:42 · Score: 2

....you don't need autonomous charging stations for city-wide surveillance. You can just fly the drone back home.
Don't forget about quick deployment either.
A well placed charging station with a drone already inside ready to deploy at any time could shave off a number of minutes for getting first eyes on the scene. And sometimes, that very short initial lead time could be crucial in locating a drowning victim, or identifying a fleeing bank robber, or seeing what's going on just a few milliseconds after some gunshots are heard.
petrol/gas engine by Max_W · 2013-05-21 21:13 · Score: 2

What is needed for quadrcopters is a small quiet petrol/gas engine. An electric battery has got too little energy. Usually it is just 10 - 30 minutes.