Hi Friends,

Even as I launch this today ( my 80th Birthday ), I realize that there is yet so much to say and do. There is just no time to look back, no time to wonder,"Will anyone read these pages?"

With regards,
Hemen Parekh
27 June 2013

Now as I approach my 90th birthday ( 27 June 2023 ) , I invite you to visit my Digital Avatar ( www.hemenparekh.ai ) – and continue chatting with me , even when I am no more here physically

Thursday 16 November 2017

A Swarm-O-Drone is born




Swarm-O-Drone  =  A Drone with built –in “ Swarm Algorithm “ for collision avoidance  ]


Look out for this headline in Media within 2 / 3 years , by which time , millions of drones would be flying overhead . Drones made by start-ups / cottage industries / you-name-it


Even from self-assembled ( DIY ) drone components, ordered over Amazon / Flipcart / Alibaba !


Drones selling for a few thousand rupees and used for unthought-of uses and especially for delivering anything ordered online – even from your next door chemist ( backbone of E Commerce ]


Even drones capable of carrying one person from point A to point B , like an Uber  /  Ola


Drones flying over city buildings and over distant deserts / jungles / rivers / mountains / in-accessible places


How can we ensure that , in such a “ free for all “ scenario, drones do not keep colliding with each other ?


Of course, modern aircrafts have radar-based “ Collision Avoidance Systems “ , which alert the pilots of approaching aircrafts to take evasive action ( normally , rules re : turning to right / dipping or climbing )


EU and India have recently come out with “ Drone Flight Regulations “ , which envisage arrangements similar to ATC  ( Air Traffic Control ) towers , to direct “ drone traffic


That works fine when only few thousand manned Airplanes are flying over any country at any given time and along rigidly pre-defined Air-Corridors and at predetermined heights and which are constantly in radio contact with, at least one ATC tower at all times ( - which , using GPS , accurately plots the position of all the aircrafts in its vicinity and their directions and destinations )


But that won’t work when a MILLION unmanned drones are flying in all directions , and at different heights and at different speeds and at any time !  Quite like a huge Swarm / Flock of tiny birds


But how come , birds never ( or rarely ) collide , without communicating with each other ?


Apparently , each bird has embedded / hardcoded into its brain , some AI software that senses the distance from surrounding birds , the direction of travel and speed , not only of self but also of the surrounding birds !


A software which enables birds to “ communicate their intentions “ to each other , without internet



This software must be ensuring that there is no collision despite the entire swarm rapidly changing the “ flying parameters “ in unison


Call it “ Swarm Algorithm “ 


Moral of the story :

·         Historical method of external control ( through ATC ) just won’t work when millions of unmanned drones are flying all over , in a totally random and unpredictable fashion


·         Only thing that can work is to ban any drone that does not have embedded into it , the Swarm Algorithm ( copy the nature ) , described above


·         Just like Industry Standards for many industries , International Civil Aviation Organization [ ICAO ] , must lay down “ Swarm-O-Drone “ standards for Drone Manufacturing Industry



It is always advisable to anticipate / envisage the “ Direction of Technology “ and come up with solutions which nullify its potential ill-effects / misuse


Swarm-O-Drone is a case in point

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17  Nov  2017



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Added  on  07  May  2022  :


1 comment:

  1. Important article. Timely. I remember, a drone of a photographer, disturbed honey-bees and they swarmed the event presided by a Minister in Karnataka. All the people ran for cover, including Minister.

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