Dronut X1 is a drone for hazardous sites without GPS
Boston startup Cleo Robotics has created the Dronut X1 ($9,800), designed for law enforcement, industrial inspections, construction and defense. The key to the drone is the company's patented thrust vectoring technology, which keeps the ducted fan structure stable during flight.
To overcome efficiency problems, the drone uses counter-rotating propellers stacked on top of each other and surrounded by a guard. Because the propellers are enclosed, Cleo says the drone can safely avoid objects and people.
The Dronut X1 is designed for autonomous use in environments without GPS, such as tanks, pressure vessels, confined inspection spaces and more. The company says it can also be used by law enforcement agencies in high-risk situations, or as a flying surveillance camera for site security.
Powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon, the Dronut X1 uses LiDAR to detect obstacles and a set of sensors to collect images and data, with HD video/imaging and a 3D point cloud output. Cleo says the latency in video data capture is less than 90 milliseconds.
The Dronut X1 body is made of carbon fiber, and the drone weighs 425 g and measures 14 cm in diameter. However, flight time is only 12 minutes, and recharging the battery takes 40 minutes.
“Created to solve what were considered unsolvable technical challenges with ducted fans. We developed and tested the Dronut platform through careful and innovative engineering. We are delighted to see the impact Dronut X1 will have on the industries it is designed for. Working in the oil industry, I faced the dangers and costs associated with confined space inspections”
Elerian and Simon Charnota founded Cleo Robotics in 2016. The company started in Calgary, Canada, spent a short time in Silicon Valley, and in May 2019 settled at MassRobotics in Boston.
Cleo Robotics is a company that specializes in unconventional robotic systems equipped with advanced sensors to collect critical data in hazardous and hard-to-reach places where GPS signals are unavailable. The company's goal is to keep people out of dangerous and hard-to-reach environments.
"Our founders began their careers in the oil and gas industry, where they experienced firsthand how dangerous, expensive and inefficient confined space inspections can be. Wanting to make these inspections safer, higher quality and faster, they founded Cleo Robotics to create unconventional robots that can work in the most challenging and dangerous conditions across all industries to solve a wide range of problems," the company said.
“I had to put on protective clothing and safety harnesses, climb through a tiny hatch into the bottom of a vessel and just look around for 10 minutes to carry out a visual inspection. That made me think about why people should have to do these tasks in potentially dangerous conditions. Cameras can do this work more safely, cheaper and more effectively”
Dronut is the world's first twin-rotor drone with a ducted fan, designed to work where other robots cannot. With high maneuverability, sophisticated sensors and advanced algorithms, Dronut can stream high-definition video and collect LiDAR data in very confined spaces and in challenging conditions.
Unlike traditional drones, the Dronut's ducted fan design allows it to fly comfortably near people, in tight spaces and around sensitive equipment. Carefully engineered for efficiency and safety, Dronut will save time, money and even lives.
Key advantages of the drone:
- Thanks to its ducted fan design, Dronut can fly near sensitive equipment without creating a hazard for itself or its surroundings.
- The absence of open propellers and a composite frame design mean the device is durable and ready for work.
- Using its state-of-the-art autonomy kit, Dronut requires almost no training, letting the operator focus on the task at hand while the drone handles the flight.
- Equipped with LED "headlights" and LiDAR, the drone can operate in low light or no light.
- Designed and manufactured in the USA, Dronut is an ideal choice for government and commercial use.
- The device's controls are fully integrated with an intuitive, minimalist smartphone app.
Cleo Robotics is currently a resident of MassRobotics, a nonprofit organization serving as an innovation hub for robotics and connected devices.
“We first saw Cleo Robotics when they were a MassChallenge company. It was great to have them at MassRobotics and to watch their design continue to develop. A compact, safe indoor flying robot works well in confined spaces, helping companies better inspect and maintain their assets, keeping their employees safe, and giving law enforcement and emergency services the chance to be the first to look at potentially dangerous areas. It's also nice when a drone straight out of science fiction travels through our space”
