West Coast Collision Center

Ford Patents Self-Driver with a Drone

Have you noticed a drone flying by recently? During this past holiday season, drones were at the top of the list for many gift-givers. Yes, drones are popular right now, but they're not toys. They are used by the military and businesses worldwide and we have seen a few here in Riverside, CA. So, here are some interesting facts about this new cutting-edge technology, brought to you by all of us at West Coast Collision Center.

For those unfamiliar with the word, a drone is an unmanned aircraft or even a ship, guided by remote control or computers. Ford Motor Company is looking at using drones in an entirely different way—for autonomous vehicles.

In addition to more than 1,400 patents registered in 2016 by the car manufacturer, one includes a self-driving car that uses a drone.

Imagine sitting inside a vehicle and controlling a drone using the navigation or infotainment system. Ford has said the drone would map out the surrounding area outside of what the sensors on the vehicle can detect. It could also be used for off-road adventures in unmapped areas outside of urban and suburban zones.

Tony Lockwood, Ford manager, virtual driver system, autonomous development, was granted a patent for the idea with co-worker Joe Stanek.

According to reports, Ford has teamed up with researchers at Silicon Valley Research Center located in Palo Alto, California, to study how self-driving cars can use drones to address navigation problems.

The company has also been working with DJI, known for its professional-grade drone systems and software, on drone-related projects. They held a contest in 2016 to see if drones could fly from a moving vehicle and then return.

In January 2017, another contest was announced—the DJI Developer Challenge. It involves designing a surveying system for the United Nations that can be used during emergency situations. The idea is that first responders would deploy a drone to survey and map the areas hit hardest by earthquakes or tsunamis in zones that are often inaccessible. The drone would launch from the bed of a Ford F-150 pickup truck and communicate with the vehicle using Ford SYNC AppLink or OpenXC platforms.

The company has said the technology could someday be applied to various outdoor industries, such as farming, forestry and construction. In the meantime, watch out for drones buzzing overhead and remember that one of them might be communicating with a passenger in an autonomous vehicle—that could be you one day!

Sources: MSN, Yahoo and Huffington News