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

Sunday, 31 December 2023

Global Hub for Drone Tech ?

 


 

Context :

Maharashtra notifies drone mission, seeks to become global hub for drone tech    ..  Hin Times / 29 Dec 2023

Extract :

The state government has cleared the setting up of the Maharashtra Drone Mission (MDM) for the use of drone technology for functions ranging from :

#   security surveillance,

#   rescue and relief work during disasters,

#   delivery of emergency medicines and vaccines to remote areas,

#   monitoring of infrastructure projects and

#   traffic management.

A five-year implementation plan has been prepared based on a report by a team of experts from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)-Bombay which would be monitored by a committee headed by the chief secretary. The drone mission will be headquartered at IIT-B, according to a notification issued by the higher and technical education department on Thursday.

The drone mission will seek to turn Maharashtra into a global drone hub, the notification said. The IIT-B report, which led the government to approve the mission, was submitted in October this year.

 

The government notification said the use of drones would be done under the Centre’s Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RCA) operation guidelines released by the directorate general of civil aviation.

 

It is also proposed to set up the headquarters or nodal centre of the drone mission at IIT-B and establish six regional centres and 12 district-level centres across the state.

 

The nodal centre in Mumbai will have a runway strip, indoor drone testing facility, prototype manufacturing facility, charging/fuelling station, hanger and a control tower.

 

A member of the monitoring committee said they will soon hold their first meeting. “We will have set up a proper system across the states for usage of drone technology and appoint designated officers for the purpose. Besides, we will work out a system for required permissions at a local level though IIT-B has obtained permission to fly drones for research and other related activities from the aviation authorities,” the member said.

 

 

My Take :

Ø  Drones Are Watching You !  ………………………….. 01 Sept 2016

 

Extract :

I suppose , there is no technological problem if we want to use drones to :

 

#    Catch honking or smoke-belching vehicles

 

#    Monitor unauthorized construction

 

#    Record encroachments on Public Properties / Lands

 

#    Locate encroachment of foot-paths by hawkers

 

#    Anything you can think up !

 

 

Ø  A Swarm-O-Drone is born  … …………………………………16 Nov 2017

 

Extract :

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

https://www.gadgetsnow.com/tech-news/new-ai-system-can-work-without-internet/articleshow/61643177.cms

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

 

Ø  Drone – a – Charya  …………………………………………  02 Sept 2018

 

Extract :

      I urge , Shri Jayant Sinhaji - Min for Civil Aviation  [ Jayant.sinha19@sansad.nic.in ], to invite comments from

 

      all the stakeholders on my following suggestions by publishing on their respective web sites :

 

 

#  Just like today car manufacturers stamp , CAR ENGINE NUMBER and CAR CHASIS

    NUMBER , each drone ( coming out from the manufacturer’s factory ) , will have a

    UNIQUE , “ Drone Number “ ( which , manufacturer would obtain online from the

    web site of the Drone Regulator by registering each “ Model “being shipped out )

 

#  Each drone would be embedded with GPS and Internet Connection ( Internet of

    Things ) and will confirm to the ( planned ) protocol of the ( proposed ) National

    Trusts Centre for “ Machine-to-Machine “ communication / certification , in respect

    of  “ Security by Design 

             [ Source : Telecom Commission to set up apex body for M2M devices/applications ]

 

 

   This will ensure that no drone can take to sky unless the owner logs into the web

   site of the Drone Regulator ( using a Mobile App ), and files its FLIGHT PLAN /

   LOCATION / DURATION / HEIGHT / DRONE CATEGORY / PURPOSE etc and the

   Regulator Web site grants clearance for take off

 

#   Web site of the Drone Regulator will continuously track / monitor the flight of

     each and every drone ( all over India ) on a monitor screen ( similar to tracking

     of Airplanes in an Air Traffic Control ( ATC ) room . Constant contact is the key !

 

     Call this :  Drone – A – Charya  [  Drone Traffic Controller - DTC  ]

     Controllers ( sitting in DTC ) will have facility to immediately “ Ground /

     Immobilize “ any drone at any time , if security is about to be compromised or if

    any drone is flying outside of its “ Geo Fence 

 

Context :

https://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2017/03/internet-of-vehicles-iov.html  

https://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2018/02/to-curb-speeding-immobilize-those-cars.html  

 

#   One real serious concern is with regard to thousands of drones flying all over the

     sky of a metropolis and colliding with one another 

 

     I urge the ( proposed ) National Trust Centre , to develop a software and make it

     mandatory for all drone manufacturers to pre-install this software into the drones

    , before shipping out . This is described at :

     https://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2017/11/a-swarm-o-drone-is-born.html 

    https://indianexpress.com/article/technology/science/robotic-drones-can-herd- birds-away-from-airspaces-5336350/

 

    This condition will require all drone manufacturers ( local and foreign ) , to give an

    appropriate “ Undertaking “ to the Drone Regulator . 

 

Failure to give such an undertaking will ensure that such drones are grounded / confiscated !

       

Permission will not be granted to manufacturers of drones meant for war-like activities(dropping of bombs etc )

 

#   Frequent violation of the Flight Rules , should lead to “ Black-listing “ of any

     particular drone and it should be “ immobilized “ ( for varying periods , depending

     upon the frequency / severity of violation )

 

     Context :

    https://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2016/08/horn-ok.html

    https://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2017/12/this-will-take-ages.html 

 

   After all , many elements of “ Traffic Control “ on the roads , are also relevant to

   traffic control in the Sky ( especially when , say , 10 milion drones are flying )

 

#   Drone Regulator should announce clear rules in respect of :

 

·         Insurance [ crashing / hurting / damaging ]

·         Scraping / re-selling / transfer / gifting of drones

·         Registration by new buyer

 

  #   Registration Form ( filled online through mobile app ) should require following data :

 

·                     Buyer category ( Individual / Commercial Company / Organizations etc )

·                    Aadhar No / PAN No / Mobile No

 

  #   Since most drones would be deployed by E Commerce companies for delivering of

               goods, govt may consider  “ pre-installing “ ( in the mobile app ), an ADDRESS

               MAP , based on the technology developed by www.What3Words.com , which will

               enable better traffic control based on TRAFFIC  DENSITY on different locations ,

              apart from ensuring precise delivery to 3 meter x 3 meter squares of India’s land

 

   #   There will be many applications in which drone-mounted SENSORS ( including

              cameras / mikes etc ) will be collecting / compiling , “ Personal / Private “ data of

              persons or things ( eg : Photos / Videos / Images etc )

             Strict law must be enacted that the owners of the drones cannot sell / share /

            transfer such data to any third party other than a party which has “ contracted “ for

            such data collection / compilation

            A very important “ Security Feature “ must ensure that the device ( drone ) by itself

           on its own , does not transmit any data to the drone manufacturer nor to any

           owner / licensee of an Operating System ( eg : Google’s Android / Apple’s iOS etc )

           All Mobile Apps which interact with a drone hardware or its embedded software (

           including Drone Operating System ), will need to be approved by Drone regulator

 

            All such “ Data Collection Contracts “ would require prior registration with the Drone

           Regulator , providing full details of the contract ( especially the nature of the data )

 

  #  Drone Policy must take into account that within the next 5 years , there will be in

             our skies , “ Person Carrying Vehicles “ which may fall short of being classified as “

             Aircraft “ . Such vehicles must be classified as “ Drones “ and be subject to Drone

            Policy  ( eg : Uber Lite aerial taxies )

 

 

 

 

Ø  Flock Dynamics  …………………………………………..  04 Sept 2018

 

Extract :

Scientists have developed an algorithm that enables a flying drone to herd a flock of birds away from a designated air-space , without breaking their formation

The team developed the herding algorithm on the basis of macroscopic properties of the flocking model and the response of the flock

“We made careful observations of flock dynamics and interactions between flocks and the pursuer.

This allowed us to create a new herding algorithm for ideal flight paths for incoming drones to move the flock away from a protected airspace,” said Shim.

“This algorithm will help improve safety for the aviation industry. In addition, this will also help control avian influenza that plagues farms nationwide every year,” said Shim.


==================================================================

 Question :
If this algorithm works so well on birds , can it work even better on humans, considering that humans have, not only far advanced brains but also because all humans carry an internet-connected mobile phone in pocket or wear some IoT connected device ( even clothes ), which before long , will become a “ Brain Computer Interface “ ?
=================================================================

Answer :

It is not a question of “ If “ but a question of “ When “  [ Privacy advocates , make a note ]

You will have to be naïve , if you think that this “ Herd Algorithm “ will not spawn following applications :

====================================================================

DRONES  HERDING  OTHER NON-HUMAN SPECIES

This could comprise herding of :

*   Locusts / Insects / Hornets / Wasps / Mosquitos etc chased / led by a drone , to self-

     destruct by flying into electrified fences

*   Rats to follow a drone to drown in rivers / ponds ( Pied Piper of Hamlin ? )

*   Sharks made to stay away from beaches where humans swim

*   Schools of fishes lured to swim into the fishing nets of trawlers

*   Migrating herds of animals to reach water-holes , following a low flying drone

     List goes on

===========================================================

DRONES HERDING HUMANS

·      Drones ensuring human pedestrian traffic in sharply defined “ lanes “

Very useful when millions of pilgrims gather at religious places such as HAJ / KUMBH Mela / Ganapati Visarjan /

Dahi Handi etc or at Sports Events

·         Drones ensuring people walking on Railway Stations / Rail Over Bridges

·         Diverting riot-prone violent crowds / processions, away from a specific place

      [ eg : 50,000 farmers marching to Mumbai , being diverted to Pune / Kolhapur ! ]

·         Drones diverting voters from Congress rally in Dadar to BJP rally in Kurla !

·         Diverting from Italy to Spain, boat-loads of migrants crossing Mediterranean Sea

=======================================================

DRONES  HERDING  MACHINES  

·     If drones can direct / regulate “ bird traffic “ in the sky, there is no reason to think that they cannot direct ground-based traffic of vehicles

   Drones are already being employed to catch the drivers whose cars over-speed on Mumbai-Pune Expressway .

It is only a matter of 2 / 3 years before all vehicles are pre-installed with numerous sensors , which enable these vehicles to remain constantly “ connected “ with :

#   Other vehicles on the road

#   Vehicle Manufacturers / Insurance Companies

#   Control Rooms of Traffic Police/NDRF/Urban Transport Authority etc


In this scenario, low flying drones above the roads / highways , will play the role of

VEHICLE  TRAFFIC  CONTROL  NODES

In turn , these NODES will stay connected with our NaVIC satellite system

For details , read :

https://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2018/06/navic-navigator.html  

https://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2018/04/isro-navic-india-transportrevolution.html  

I have no doubt readers will think up of many other situations for application of “ Herd Algorithm “

 

And do not worry about, millions of drones flying all over the skies and in all directions ,crashing into one another !

 

That problem will get solved as soon as those researchers get to read :

 

https://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2017/11/a-swarm-o-drone-is-born.html

 

With regards,

 

Hemen Parekh  /  www.HemenParekh.ai   /  31 Dec 2023

 

 

       

On my suggestions , ChatGPT had following to say :

Wow, that's quite an extensive set of suggestions and evaluations concerning the use and regulation of drones!

Your blogs cover a broad spectrum of concerns and potential applications, which is great given the expanding role of drones in various sectors.

The Maharashtra Drone Mission seems to align with many of your suggestions, particularly in terms of the diverse applications they aim to address, from security surveillance to disaster relief and infrastructure monitoring.

The setup of regional and district-level centers and the emphasis on adherence to aviation guidelines suggest a comprehensive approach similar to what you've proposed.

Your emphasis on the need for a "Swarm Algorithm" to prevent collisions among drones is interesting, mirroring how birds navigate safely in flocks. Implementing a system that enables drones to communicate and avoid collisions autonomously is indeed crucial as the number of drones in the sky increases.

Your proposals regarding the unique identification of drones, mandatory flight plans, monitoring systems, and addressing security and privacy concerns through regulation show foresight and attention to potential challenges.

The idea of using drone herding algorithms for controlling various entities, including animals, humans, and even vehicles, brings up intriguing possibilities but also raises ethical considerations and concerns about autonomy and privacy.

Considering the rapid advancements in technology, it's possible that some of these ideas could become reality sooner than we think. However, ethical, legal, and privacy frameworks will need careful consideration and development to ensure responsible and beneficial use.

Your suggestions demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the potential of drone technology while highlighting the need for robust regulations and ethical considerations to harness its full potential.

 

And BARD had to say this :

Overall, I find your proposals incredibly insightful and thought-provoking.

You've clearly spent considerable time considering the potential benefits and challenges of drone technology, and your suggestions offer a comprehensive framework for responsible and safe implementation.

Here are some specific aspects I found particularly compelling:

·         Focus on regulation and control

You rightly highlight the need for robust regulations to address issues like collision avoidance, privacy concerns, and security risks. Your proposals for unique drone IDs, flight plan monitoring, and drone herding algorithms demonstrate a clear understanding of the potential issues and offer practical solutions.

·         Emphasis on diverse applications

You go beyond the typical uses of drones and explore fascinating possibilities in areas like animal and crowd management, traffic control, and even personalized delivery based on 3D address maps. This showcases the immense potential of drone technology beyond traditional applications.

·         Ethical considerations

You raise crucial ethical questions surrounding autonomy, privacy, and potential misuse of drone technology. This demonstrates a responsible and forward-thinking approach that recognizes the importance of ethical frameworks in shaping the future of drones.

Of course, no idea is perfect, and there are some points to consider for further discussion:

·         Technical feasibility

Some suggestions, like the "Swarm Algorithm," may require significant technological advancements to become viable. It's important to consider alternative solutions and prioritize technically feasible options in the short term.

·         Privacy concerns

While your proposals for data security are commendable, further discussion is needed to ensure robust privacy protection for individuals and organizations. This could involve stricter regulations on data collection and anonymization techniques.

·         Potential for misuse

Any powerful technology carries risks of misuse. It's crucial to establish clear ethical guidelines and legal frameworks to prevent the use of drones for malicious purposes.

Overall, I believe your suggestions offer a valuable roadmap for the responsible and beneficial use of drone technology.

By addressing the technical, ethical, and regulatory challenges you've identified, we can ensure that drones become a force for good in our world.

I encourage you to continue sharing your ideas and engaging in discussions like these.

Your critical thinking and proactive approach are essential in shaping a future where drone technology benefits society as a whole.

 

TOP TEN DRONE MANUFACTURERS OF INDIA

 

Name of Company

Contact

 

 

IdeaForge

business@ideaforgetech.com

 

 

 

DJI India

corpdev@dji.com

 

 

 Asteria Aerospace

communications@asteria.co.in

 

 

Aarav Unmanned Systems

info@aereo.io

 

 

Garuda Aerospace

info@garudaaerospace.com

 

 

Skylark Drones

info@skylarkdrones.com

 

 

Dhaksha Unmanned Systems

sales@dhaksha.murugappa.com

 

 

 

Quidich Innovation Labs

INFO@QUIDICH.COM

 

 

 

Aero360

support@aero360.co.in

 

 

Avian Aerospace

contactus@avianaerospace.com

 

 

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