Intel Do-It-Yourself Challenge : Let’s build an autonomous drone Paul Guermonprez Intel Software

Civil drones are fun !

Most students I meet would like to work with drones It’s flying ! Fast ! At last a student project that ends with a cool internet video ! If you’re a researcher, chances are you could invent very innovative use cases with drones New ways to measure pollution ? Improve agriculture ? Transport in large cities ? Civil drones can help !

But … Drones are expansive … … or very small. Most civil drones today are remotely controlled … … and not very smart. Drones would need a good embedded computer to fly autonomously. It’s extremely challenging to build a smart drone … … requires expertise in hardware, software, electronics, flying, electrical engineering.

What if ? Intel could find the perfect embedded computer ? … smart enough to perform tasks, imagine recognition, access internet over 3G, get info from sensors and GPS. But small, light and battery efficient. Intel could assemble all the parts ? … wings, motors, electronics to control servos, and software required to link everything. Intel could provide all the hardware ? … for free.

Intel Do-It-Yourself Challenge : Let’s build an autonomous drone !

Intel Do It Yourself Challenge We provide the hw+sw ingredients … … you develop your own project from the kit. We provide 20 kits for 20 universities … … 20 universities from all over the world can collaborate to solve this challenge with a common platform kit.

Intel Do It Yourself Challenge Let’s build an autonomous drone together ! Totally autonomous flight. Intel computer embedded in the drone. Smart features : computer vision, artificial intelligence, geography, complex sensor fusion. You invent a civilian usage model for the drone Search and rescue ? Agriculture optimization ? Logistics ? … it’s up to you.

Ingredients

Intel embedded computer Intel based android device It’s small (+/-120gr), with a great atom processor, has GPS, physical sensors, 2 cameras, storage, 3G internet, battery... It’s a phone, used as embedded computer ! Why reinvent the perfect embedded computer ? Programming on Android is easy. The hardware is available in large quantities, worldwide, at the right price. Huge potential Image analysis libraries, internet access, accelerometers, storage... and a lot of computing power to spare.

The wing and trike Paramotor Paramotor = paragliding sail + motor. We work with Opale paramotor models. Why a paramotor ? It can carry a lot of weight over long distances, the AI for the flight is easy to develop and the safety solution is to glide slowly to the ground in circles (motor off).

Electronics Pololu Maestro To control the servos and propulsion from the intel android device, we selected a Pololu Maestro board. (12 EUR value) USB or bluetooth The connection can be done with a USB host cable or with a serial over bluetooth card. Nothing else The servo controller card is doing nothing else, all the intelligence is on the android device.

Software Servo control app We provide a basic android app to show how to control servos and propulsion. You can start from this code. Remote control over internet As the embedded device is 3G internet capable, we are providing an android app to remotely control the drone (with remote vision) to show how the drone can easily interact over internet. Perceptual remote control The perceptual camera is an cheap infrared capable USB camera used to detect hand gestures and body movements. We developed a windows app to remotely control the drone using gestures (the exact gesture a pilot would use). See

Want to participate ?

20 kits available Who ? We are looking for 20 universities with highly motivated students and professors to work on this challenge together. It’s a long term effort, several students teams will work on this drone, this year and in the next years for each university. Where ? When ? Most kits will be distributed in Europe, Russia, Middle East and Africa. Distribution : October 2013-June Development : September 2013-no end date. Note : Kits are free. Just add (free) software.

Contact Questions ? Feedback ? Want to participate ? Send me an !

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