Movidius and DJI Bring Vision-Based Autonomy to DJI Phantom 4

Movidius, the leader in low-power computer vision, and DJI are bringing new levels of autonomy to DJI aircraft through a sophisticated vision-aided flight system.

The technology debuted in DJI’s flagship Phantom 4 aircraft, giving it the ability to sense and avoid obstacles in real time and hover in a fixed position without the need for a GPS signal.

The agreement marks an industry first in making advanced visual guidance systems a standard feature for consumer drones. Such systems are expected to enable a broad range of new industrial and recreational applications that were not possible before.

DJI, the world’s leading maker of drones and aerial cameras, has developed specialized software algorithms in spatial computing and 3D depth sensing. These algorithms coupled with the Movidius’ Myriad 2 VPU gives the DJI Phantom 4 drone the ability to sense and avoid obstacles in real time, meaning more autonomous flight functions, and improved awareness of flight space while in the air. Other visual intelligence features include improved vision-based tracking modes and advanced mapping capabilities.

“DJI continuously works to make complex technology accessible for anyone with a creative vision. As a result, we constantly seek ways to expand our technological capabilities to push the industry beyond what is thought possible,” said Paul Pan, Senior Product Manager at DJI. “Movidius’ vision processor platform, Myriad 2, met the rigorous requirements we set for our flagship product, and we look forward to continued collaboration with Movidius as we push the boundaries in the drone market.”

DJI’s vision algorithms were designed from the ground-up for real-time aerial autonomy. The performance-to-power ratio advantage of theMyriad 2 VPU — MA2100 matched DJI’s algorithm closer than any other traditional processor solutions.

“DJI has set the direction for the future of the drone market and we are excited to incorporate Movidius’ low power artificial vision intelligence technology into DJI drones moving forward,” said Sean Mitchell, COO of Movidius. “Moving the technology from a demonstration to a highly reliable production worthy stage was a tremendous effort for both DJI and Movidius. The DJI Phantom 4 launch represents a milestone for the future of visually aware devices. We believe we are entering the golden age of embedded computer vision and our technology has placed Movidius at the forefront of this trend.”

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