This drone is connected to the vehicle itself. This great invention is certainly a big step forward in the field of cars and drones. The basic idea, initially presented by Jeep at an event in 2021, is to put drone technology together with cars. In this way, vehicles, especially those that are primarily born to go off-road, will be able to do new and more complex things.
Stellantis patent carried out with drones
The Stellantis new patent describes a system that allows a vehicle to be accompanied by a drone. This drone is capable of following the vehicle autonomously, regardless of the type of terrain it is on. The vehicle’s entertainment system, called Uconnect, will be connected to the drone and will show the driver, in real time, images taken by the drone’s camera and other useful information.
In practice, the drone takes on the functionality of actual “eyes” for the vehicle, constantly monitoring its surroundings and providing the driver with data that can be used to detect obstacles. They are also useful for assessing ground conditions and facilitating navigation. This feature, called “follow me,” offers new opportunities, such as the ability to record videos of one’s off-road adventures from an aerial perspective, providing a unique perspective on the vehicle’s route.
How does this innovation work with the drone?
The drone uses a combination of advanced sensors such as GPS and visual tracking, by which it is able to follow a vehicle while keeping a constant distance at all times. This capability is made possible by a dynamic system that adapts the drone’s position based on changes in terrain and vehicle speed. Data that is collected by the drone during flight, such as may be terrain features and the presence of obstacles, as well as weather conditions, is transmitted to the vehicle’s infotainment system. This provides the driver with a more complete and up-to-date set of information about the situation around him or her, improving awareness while driving, and to some extent also improving safety.
The potential of this technology is going beyond simply providing a live video feed. In particular, in situations where the car is off-road with complex terrain, the drone can actively support the driver by providing safer route suggestions or reporting the presence of obstacles not visible from the vehicle. The integration of this technology with the vehicle’s on-board systems gives the beautiful possibility of revolutionizing off-road driving, providing drivers with a level of control and safety that is certainly far superior.
Yes we want to have a very practical idea of this innovative system, just think about having a very sophisticated “autopilot” for vehicles, where a small drone constantly moves around and provides detailed information to the car, giving the ability to see and understand what surrounds the vehicle at all times. In short, this is a great innovation of a great utility for this automotive sector that will surely in time be greatly appreciated by all those who operate off-road for any reason.