Obstacle and Collision Avoiding Drone

Abstract

Abstract: Larger drones, such as those used for commercial operations, are much less likely to have obstacle avoidance features because they fly higher in the sky, where it is less likely that they will encounter static obstacles and more likely that they will encounter dynamic obstacles while also flying faster; the market’s offerings for static obstacle avoidance do not meet those needs. Since smaller drones are typically used for hobbyists and smaller-scale operations like thermal inspection, hazard detection inside of warehouses, and up-close inspection of wind turbines and power lines, obstacle avoidance is typically limited to these types of smaller drones. The performance requirements for Detect-and-Avoid capabilities for dynamic objects vary since infrastructure masking can occasionally reduce risks. For instance, you have an additional layer of protection when flying near structures or in a deep valley because manned aviation is less likely to be using the same airspace. Similar to this, infrastructure shadowing involves flying 50 feet or less away from a power line that is exactly 50 feet above the structure being “shadowed.” Given that you are more unlikely to come across any manned aircraft, this mitigation level is higher than just masking.