New 4G drone developed for SAR sector
European drone company Parrot has unveiled ANAFI Ai, the first drone to use 4G as the main data link between the drone and the operator
The drone has reportedly been developed specifically to meet the demands of emergency services, including firefighting and SAR teams.
Users will no longer experience transmission limitations due to ANAFI Ai’s 4G connectivity, which enables precise control at any distance. For Beyond Visual Line of Sight flights, it stays connected even behind obstacles.
ANAFI Ai embeds a Secure Element in the drone and in its Skycontroller 4. The 4G link between the drone and the user’s phone is encrypted. The Secure Element protects both the integrity of the software and the privacy of data transferred.
Piloting application available open-source
Parrot has made its piloting application open-source. Parrot offers developers a Software Development Kit (SDK) to execute custom code in the ANAFI Ai drone during the flight. The SDK gives access to all flight sensors, including obstacle avoidance sensors, occupancy grid and internet access.
ANAFI Ai’s obstacle-avoidance system detects obstacles in all directions, using stereo cameras to sense objects and automatically avoid them. Plus, the drone incorporates a 48 MP main camera and boasts a stabilized 4K 60fps / HDR10 camera to capture detailed aerial images and smooth video footage.
ANAFI Ai will be available in the second half of 2021.