On Tuesday, Sept. 15, US Ignite announced the launch of the Mountain Express Automated Shuttle at Fort Carson, Colorado, a United States Army installation.
An electric vehicle capable of performing all driving functions independently under certain conditions, the Mountain Express will provide passenger service on the post as part of a yearlong effort to test automated vehicle technologies and collect data for future transportation modeling on smart military installations across the country.
Pilot Projects
Pilot Projects
Walmart, Zipline partner to launch 'first-of-its-kind' drone delivery service in U.S.
Walmart has partnered with Zipline to launch what's being described as a “first-of-its-kind” drone delivery operation in the U.S.
According to Walmart, the new service will make on-demand deliveries of select health and wellness products with the potential to expand to general merchandise. Zipline’s proprietary technology will be used during the trial deliveries, which will take place near Walmart’s headquarters in Northwest Arkansas.
New York UAS Test Site selected to participate in Phase 2 of UPP program
The FAA has selected the New York UAS Test Site at Griffiss International Airport in Rome, New York and the Virginia Tech Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership in Blacksburg, Virginia to participate in phase two of the unmanned aircraft traffic management pilot program (UPP).
Automated trucking technology company Ike announces 'Powered by Ike' customer program
Automated trucking technology developer Ike has announced its “Powered by Ike” customer program.
The program includes partnerships with logistics companies Ryder System Inc., DHL, and NFI, as these companies’ fleets will be among the first to deploy "level 4" automated trucks on highways.
As part of the multi-year Powered by Ike program, these fleets have collectively reserved the first 1,000 Class 8 tractors powered by Ike's technology. Leading up to the launch of a commercial technology, Ike and its fleet customers are working together to provide feedback, perform testing, and prepare to launch and scale up operations.
Rouse Markets, Deuce Drone partner to test unmanned grocery delivery pilot program this fall
Independent grocer Rouses Markets has partnered with Deuce Drone to test an unmanned grocery delivery pilot program this fall.
The demonstration will be conducted with an Aerial Drone Delivery Interface System (ADDIS) at the Rouses Market on Airport Boulevard in Mobile, Alabama.
“Drone delivery offers the fastest, safest delivery store to door,” says Rouse Markets CEO Donny Rouse. “We should be able to get groceries to customers in 30 minutes or even less. Plus it’s more cost efficient, meaning we can save customers time and money.”
Fortem Technologies ensures safe airspace during first phase of UAS IPP in North Carolina
Fortem Technologies has completed the first phase of the FAA’s UAS Integration Pilot Program (UAS IPP) in North Carolina.
Under the program, Fortem is performing tests to monitor the airspace around WakeMed Hospital in Raleigh, tracking manned flights alongside the UPS Delivery Corridor, and using UAS to deliver medical test samples safely and quickly.
Fortem says that it was able to accurately and consistently track incoming medical helicopter traffic, and provide real-time alerts to unmanned service supplier AirMap to ensure a safe and secure airspace for flight.
“Ensuring the safety of manned aviation is paramount for unmanned flight operations, yet successful coordination of the two is not an easy task,” explains Basil Yap, UAS Program manager, NCDOT.
FAA announces two new participants for unmanned aircraft Traffic Management Pilot Program
The FAA’s NextGen program has selected Virginia Tech Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership in Blacksburg, Virginia, and Griffiss International Airport in Rome, New York as test site participants for Phase 2 of the unmanned aircraft Traffic Management Pilot Program (UPP).
UPP Phase 1, which was a collaborative effort between NASA, FAA UAS test sites and their industry partners, was completed in Aug. 2019. Capabilities tested during Phase 1 included the exchange of flight intent data among UAS operators. Participants also generated UAS Volume Reservations (UVRs), which are notifications to operators about inbound priority operations.
EHang, city government of Seville partner to launch first UAM pilot program in Spain
EHang and the city government of Seville, Spain have entered into a cooperation agreement to launch the first Urban Air Mobility (UAM) pilot program in Spain.
Under the agreement, EHang and the Seville government will work together to develop the urban air mobility, which includes passenger transportation, air logistics and command and control platforms in the city. In accordance with Spanish and European legislation, the city will also collaborate on applications for permission to conduct test flights, and it will coordinate with EHang to plan flight routes.
Locomation, Wilson Logistics partner for autonomous trucking pilot
The provider of what it says is the world’s first trucking technology platform to offer human-guided autonomous convoying, a company called Locomation has announced a multi-year partnership with transportation logistics company Wilson Logistics that will result in Locomation’s autonomous technology being put on the road across several critical Wilson Logistics shipping routes.
During the three-year pilot, Locomation’s Autonomous Relay Convoy (ARC) technology will be integrated onto 11 separate Wilson Logistics ARC segments. With ARC, one driver can pilot a lead truck equipped with technology augmentation while a follower truck operates in tandem through Locomation’s fully autonomous system, allowing the follower driver to log off and rest during this time.
Kiwibots help University of Denver students learn how to build successful business
Delivery robots are popping up on college campuses across the United States, but the journey behind the Kiwibots currently operating on the campus of the University of Denver (DU) ironically enough did not begin on U.S. pavement.
Initially launched as a human-based food delivery company in Bogotá, Colombia, the first iteration of Kiwibot as a company was sold, which led to the team behind Kiwibot wanting to replicate its model where students could conduct deliveries for other students in the United States. The team found out, however, that the cost structure was not replicable from Latin America to the U.S., according to David Rodríguez, Kiwibot’s head of business.
“This was the point we decided we needed to start building robots,” Rodríguez tells AUVSI.
