How might we enable hands-free command and control of commercial drones to allow the designated operator to perform other tasks simultaneously?

Commercial drones such as the Parrot Anafi require a physical controller to operate the system. While there are features such as way-point plotting that could be pre-tasked to the drones, straight-forward commands such as cancelling the mission or making minor adjustment such as “stop follow”, “fly to the left” or “return home” would require the operator to issue the commands via the controller. The need to operate the drone via its designated controller inhibits the operator to perform other tasks at the same time.

The solution shall:

1. Be able to control a commercial drone, preferably a Parrot Anafi, to perform activities such as building inspection without the physical controller;
2. Allow other unmanned systems to integrate with the proposed solution;
3. Be lightweight (overall system <500g) and
4. Be able to operate for a duration of 1 hour;
5. Be able to operate in both indoor and outdoor environments; and
6. Comply with relevant commercial safety standards and regulations, and Human Factor Engineering (HFE) requirements.
   ‍

The MVP should be able to demonstrate the ability to control a commercial drone within line of sight, without using the physical controller. The operator should be able to pilot the drone with basic commands, such as “take off”, “land”, and fly (forward, backward, up, down, left, right, or turn) .

‍

Selected solution providers will get a chance to run a pilot, fully funded by MINDEF.

Solution providers are encouraged to include a summary quotation along with their submission.
Please refer to the Terms and Conditions and FAQ for further details.