DroneCatcher gets unwelcome drones under control
Drones are currently very popular, but they are not allowed to fly anywhere. In future, those who do not stick to the rules must be prepared to loose their multicopter.
A good catch: a prototype of DroneCatcher catches a drone. (Picture: Delft Dynamics)
Weapons free! A net shoots out of some sort of cannon. It wraps around the targeted drone, it goes down to the floor. Strike. What can be seen on the video of Delft Dynamics is still a test version. But the DroneCatcher could soon go into production. Then the flying apparatus, which is a multicopter, would hunt down unwelcome drones. This is not just for fun; there are legal regulations drones need to comply with. For example, all devices used for commercial purposes are subject to authorization. If a multicopter weighs more than five kilograms, it is classified as unmanned aerial system and needs an official rising permission. Moreover, there are no-fly zones, for example within a radius of 1.5 km around airports, above nuclear plants or industrial plants.
Besides the DroneCatcher that DelftDynamics has developed, among others, on behalf of the Dutch Ministry of Justice, there are more companies and institutions that work on similar aviational security systems. The version of the Technical University of Michigan doesn’t bring the drone to the ground but catches the drone and carries it away:
Read more: Multicopters are like digital bumblebees
Train Stations Full of Superlatives and Curiosities
Train stations are not generally given a lot of attention, probably due to their purpose: People arriving there want to move on as quickly as possible. But it is often worth taking a closer look, because there are many unique and curious things about the buildings themselves.
Advanced Assistance Systems for Greater Safety
Driver assistance systems can prevent accidents or help mitigate their consequences. However, the proportion of vehicles equipped with electronic assistance systems is still low. This is where a new EU regulation comes in – with the specification of a minimum standard for driver assistance systems in new cars.
