AI goes sky-high as self-navigating drones take flight over Sydney Harbour

For the first time in Australia, an AI-enabled drone has taken flight from a futuristic docking station, launching from the picturesque Goat Island in Sydney Harbour and navigating itself around buildings and pylons before detecting the Harbour Bridge in the foreground.

The demonstration was conducted by US drone manufacturer Skydio in conjunction with Australian RPAS training leaders, Aviassist, as part of the Sydney Dialogue summit, showcasing new technologies.

The flight was significant as this was the first time the innovative Skydio Dock has been seen and used in Australia, an ultra-smart docking station which all but controls the drone itself.

It’s claimed the Dock can fly a drone in a five-kilometre range and to within 11 centimetres of a foreign object, driving efficiencies in agriculture, mining and transport, among other industries.

An individual can monitor the drone’s stream, but it’s not necessary and can be done from anywhere in the world.

Ross Anderson from Aviassist says he’s not surprised drones can now fly with almost no
human involvement.

“It was only a matter of time,” he says.

“The drone was able to work out there were certain structures in the area and fly around them.

“It’s not autopilot, it’s AI.

“It was the drone summing up its surroundings and saying to itself, ‘Hey, I can fly here, I can’t fly there’.”
Experts believe the possibilities are endless when it comes to how AI-enabled drones could be used.

Companies in transport and mining, as well as the ADF, are already some of Skydio’s clients.
“AI-enabled drones will be seen as teammates, not tools,” Anderson says.

“A great example is bridge and infrastructure inspections – it’s dangerous for someone to be climbing that high up and even with drones being flown by someone on the ground, they’re always prone to crashing as a result of human error.

“A drone that can fly itself would make fewer mistakes than a person and that raises the safety bar.

“In the event of a car crash, an AI-enabled drone could quickly fly over and survey the scene and relay critical information to first responders as they do their much more important job, which is helping the people involved.

“Drones have been flown remotely and beyond visual line of sight for a while but this takes it to the next level.”