“Through this symbiotic partnership, we are combining the industry-leading artificial
intelligence neural network software and certification methodology pioneered by
Daedalean, with the proven hardware design, manufacturing and certification expertise here at Avidyne,” said Avidyne President, Dan Schwinn. “Leveraging advanced AI technologies, these solutions will initially include visual-spectrum camera-based systems for visual positioning and traffic detection, hazard avoidance, and landing guidance, as well as providing the data that pilots need for quicker and more-accurate land-anywhere decision-making assistance in the event of emergency.”
Avidyne’s PilotEye, powered by Daedalean, is the first AI-based onboard pilot aid system for General Aviation, and it is the first product from the collaboration between Avidyne and Daedalean. As the name implies, PilotEye serves as an additional set of eyes in the cockpit providing visual detection of airborne hazards, including non-cooperative traffic such as aircraft not equipped with ADS-B, drones, and birds. 'See and avoid' is a key capability for piloting and cooperative traffic equipment is not always operating or installed. Visual traffic detection thus still is the pilot's responsibility. With the airspace being increasingly crowded with aircraft and very soon with drones of all sizes, human see and avoid capabilities reach their limit. Neural network-based vision systems can continuously and accurately monitor all a broad field of view providing the pilot with a never-tired, never-distracted second set of eyes outside.
On-board, vision-based AI technologies:
- provide pilot advisories for fixed-wing aircraft and rotorcraft and full autonomy for future aircraft
- continuously scan the sky for traffic and other airborne hazards
- identify suitable landing areas in the event of emergency
- see far more than human eyes
- are never distracted
- provide dissimilar, redundant guidance source, enabling safe and autonomous operation
- can be combined with other data sources and merged onto a single intuitive display.
Avidyne and Daedalean will be making additional AI-based product announcements in
coming months. PilotEye pricing and availability will be made public later this year.
