Airbus testing autonomous flying tech that may boost safety, efficiency

Commercial aircraft maker Airbus is testing a suite of new automated technology that has the potential to improve the safety and efficiency of flying.

According to Airbus, the autonomous technology, which has been branded as the company's DragonFly project, offers "automated emergency diversion in cruise, automatic landing, and taxi assistance," reports The Verge.

The company is testing out the new features using an A350-1000 aircraft at its test site. Airbus UpNext, a division of the aerospace giant that tests new technology before introducing it to a larger fleet, is conducting the experiment.

Moreover, the company said that the technology aims to copy the insect's ability to recognise certain locations.

"These tests are one of several steps in the methodical research of technologies to further enhance operations and improve safety," Isabelle Lacaze, head of DragonFly demonstrator, Airbus UpNext, said in a statement.

"Inspired by biomimicry and nature in the same way that dragonflies are known to have the ability to recognise landmarks, the systems being developed are designed to identify features in the landscape that enable an aircraft to 'see' and safely manoeuvre autonomously within its surroundings," Lacaze added.

Moreover, Airbus UpNext is using the test data to "prepare the next generation of computer vision-based algorithms to advance landing and taxi assistance," the report said.

--IANS

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