Potential uses for UAVs include inspecting power lines, cooling towers and bridges, or monitoring crops.
Unmanned aerial vehicles to search for ‘Outback Joe’
The latest unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology will be put to the test under the ‘UAV Challenge Outback Rescue’, a competition that involves finding and assisting 'Outback Joe', a lost bush walker in Australia's vast outback using UAVs. (7:36)
- 25 September 2009
The player will show in this paragraph
UAVs for have been around for sometime, historically as simple remotely piloted aircraft or drones, but now, as onboard automation systems advance, UAVs are increasingly flying autonomously based on pre-programmed flight plans.
Generally people associate UAVs with Defence forces, which fly them in military hotspots to avoid risk to pilots; however they also have many practical civilian uses and their potential to provide safe low-cost airborne delivery or surveillance will have a big impact on large expansive countries such as Australia.
In an effort to encourage further development of UAVs, the CSIRO is co-sponsoring the UAV Challenge Outback Rescue at the regional Queensland town of Kingaroy.
In this podcast Dr Jonathan Roberts, Research Director of CSIRO’s ICT Centre's Autonomous Systems Laboratory, explains the UAV Challenge and the search and rescue application of the UAV technology surrounding it. Dr Roberts also describes future applications for UAVs, including the very real prospect of one day commuting in pilotless passenger aircraft.
Read more about CSIRO oversees rescue of ‘Outback Joe’ (Media release 22 Sep 08).
