Ford and drone-maker DJI have announced the DJI Developer Challenge, which invites developers to create a drone-to-vehicle communications system utilising Ford SYNC AppLink or OpenXC. Developers – who will be able to use vehicle data available through the platforms – will be tasked with creating software that would allow a Ford F-150 and a drone to communicate in real time.
The idea behind this is to come up with a surveying system for the United Nations Development Program to inspect emergency zones that are inaccessible to vehicles, or in situations that are space-, height- or terrain-limited. Such a system would allow UN first responders to earthquakes or tsunamis to quickly deploy drones to survey and map the hardest-hit areas.
An emergency response team would drive an F-150 as far as possible into an emergency zone. Via a SYNC 3 touchscreen, the driver could identify a target area and launch a drone by accessing an app projected through SYNC AppLink. The drone would follow a flight path over the zone, capturing video.
Using the driver’s smartphone, the F-150 would establish a real-time link between the drone, the truck and the cloud, so vehicle data can be shared. The driver can continue moving on to a new destination – data is relayed to the drone, which will then catch up and dock with the truck.
Ford says that while the challenge is target specific, the software might eventually allow drone-to-vehicle applications in agriculture, forestry and construction. There’s a carrot for this one – the challenge winner will receive US$100,000.
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