Despite small size, this UAV without any exposed rotor blades exhibits powerful monitoring features for safe flight in confined environments
If you have watched the movie Star Wars, then you must have noticed the numerously unmanned, flying droids hovering around at different intervals to spy on the enemy or transport messages from one place to another.Â
Besides Star Wars, nearly all sci-fi movies depict a future full of autonomous humanoids, flying spaceships, laser weapons and whatnot.Â
In reality, these are hardly present. But advanced research for developing innovative technologies seems to gradually bring imaginative ideas into the real world.
One such futuristic development is the Dronut X1, a bi-rotor ducted drone produced by a Boston-based robotics company called Cleo Robotics.Â
Unlike conventional drones, the Dronut X1 navigates through the air with no exposed propellers, making it capable of flying in constricted areas without any worry about its wings colliding with the surroundings.Â
Powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon, the thrust vector technology of the WiFi operated drone offers it high manoeuvrability so that the operator can simply focus on the task at hand. The Dronut can be controlled with an Android phone by installing its smartphone app.
The Dronut X1 comes equipped with advanced algorithms, and thanks to its sophisticated sensors, 4k cameras and LED headlights, the drone can collect high-definition LiDAR data at a stream frame rate of 30fps in challenging confined spaces having low to negligible light. Â
Key Specifications include:
- Operating frequency: 2.4 GHz
- Hovering accuracy: < 0.1m
- Field of view: 100 degrees
- Rechargeable battery
- Charge time: 40 mins
- Flight time: 12 mins
A size of 6.5″ x 4″ (approx. 16.5 cm x 10 cm) and weight of 15.5 oz (approx. 439 grams) along with a body made of composite materials grant the Dronut enough robustness to fly at a wind speed of 15km/h up to a range of 1km.Â
Designed and manufactured in the United States, the Dronut X1 is fully NDAA compliant and perfect for security and inspection applications.
