As drones become more common and more accessible to regular folks, we reckon that eventually there will be multiple drones in the sky all at once. Now as if avoiding obstacles like trees, lamps, signboards, and other objects wasn’t enough, drone pilots would have to deal with avoiding other drones too.
Thankfully DJI is working on something that could help with that. The company has recently announced an experimental barebones drone in the form of the Matrice 100. This is a barebones drone which is designed for developers in mind who might want to test new sensors, processors, and other technologies that one might be able to fit into a drone.
Along with the announcement of the drone, the company also unveiled the Guidance feature which is basically a collision avoidance system. It is a gadget that users can attach to the M100 and thanks to its built-in cameras and ultrasonic sensors, it will be able to detect objects around the drone that it might collide into and actively try to avoid it.
The system will be able to detect objects as far as 65 feet away, thus giving it enough time to recalibrate itself. According to DJI manager Navjot Singh, “The Matrice 100 is always aware of its surroundings, and will automatically adjust its flight path when closing in on objects or obstructions.” DJI’s Matrice 100 will retail for $3,299 with the Guidance system priced at $999.