After greeting us with its innovations in the processor and VR space, Intel has also introduced Project Aero, its own hardware product and developer platform for unmanned aerial vehicles(UAV or drones to be exact).
Announced at the Intel Developer Conference in San Francisco, the drone isn’t designed for enthusiasts or commercial purposes. Instead it gives developers a hardware product to create and test their applications for drones.
The hardware product has been designed from the ground up to grant software developers a chance to experience new drone technologies and capabilities. The UAV Developer Kit is powered by an Intel Atom quad-core processor running a Linux operating system. The compute board embedded in the drone has been designed to study and store flexible I/O communication data.
In addition to this, the Aero ready-to-fly drone also supports several ‘plug and play‘ options that can help developers clip its app development timeline. It is equipped with Intel’s trademark RealSense camera’s to provide depth and vision capabilities and comes pre-loaded with AirMap’s software development kit. AirMap tells you exactly where you can and where you cannot fly, and it also transmits real-time information making it easier for you to plot routes. You also have the option to plug in an external flight controller, running Dronecode PX4 software.
Intel, who is also an equity investor in many drone startups, including Yunnec has today debuted the company’s premier obstacle avoiding drone called ‘Typhoon H’. The drone’s intelligent obstacle navigation system makes use of Intel’s RealSense Technology to not only avoid but also plot an alternative course around obstacles. The American chipmaker also has vested interest in other drone startups, including Airware, commercial drone OS developers and PrecisionHawk, a commercial agricultural drone manufacturer.
Intel didn’t provide any discrete details regarding the launch date and pricing of the Aero drone. It has just given developers a vague idea stating that the Aero platform will be available by end of this year. But, if you wanna try a hand at building your own drone, then you could do so by buying separate components, the Aero compute board and RealSense camera kit respectively.
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Take a look at AAEON’s compact UP Board! Announced as part of the tools for the Intel RealSense Development Kit. Great specs, great price! Full specs @ http://www.up-board.org/en/