SAA technology for UAVs

• Tweet

ANAHEIM, Calif., Feb. 14 (UPI) -- Advanced Defense Technologies of California is expanding its development of sense-and-avoid technology payloads for unmanned aerial vehicles.

SAA technology, based on electro-optical devices and high-resolution cameras, has been successfully used on some unmanned aerial vehicles and the company expects its use to increase.

"Commercial use of drones is going to be the next big revolution in aviation," said R.S. Tahim, president and chief executive officer of Advanced Defense Technologies Inc. "Utilizing sense-and-avoid technology payloads on board all drones and UAVs will be a critical step in overcoming public safety concerns.

"Once autonomous aircraft are used with a high rate of success in areas away from towns and cities, the commercial applications will continue to open up for drone applications closer to populated areas. For the time being drones will be controlled from the ground, but sense-and-avoid systems will greatly enhance safety by detecting terrain and other objects -- from aircraft to power lines -- and will allow them to fly themselves if communication links with the ground are disrupted."