Safe2Ditch: autonomous crash management for small UAVs

Safe2Ditch was an autonomous crash management system designed to run on a small processor onboard unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Inexpensive and light, the technology took advantage of components already part of many small UAV systems, such as visual spectrum cameras and commercial off-the-shelf autopilots.

Its sole mission was to get the vehicle safely to the ground in the event of an unexpected critical flight issue. The system combined intelligent algorithms, knowledge of the local area, and awareness of the disabled vehicle’s remaining controls to select and steer to a crash location that minimized risk to people and property.

As the disabled vehicle approached the intended landing site, Safe2Ditch used machine vision to inspect the site and confirm it was clear. Most importantly, it did this autonomously—without any input from a pilot or ground operation. Highly capable small UAVs provide substantial business opportunity, especially in suburban areas.

safe2ditch, autonomous landing, emergency landing, small uavs, drone safety, machine vision, autopilots, visual cameras, crash management, suburban areas