Freefly Systems Inc., an American corporation that designs and manufactures drones, has announced a partnership with datalink provider Doodle Labs to integrate its Mesh Rider Radios into a new NDAA-compliant version of its Freefly Astro UAS platform.
Astro features high precision RTK/PPK, LTE cloud connectivity, tablet controller, smart batteries, onboard mission computer and more. The platform boasts an open ecosystem of modular payloads with quick release.
Astro is designed, tested, flown, built and supported by the Freefly team in Woodinville, Washington.
Doodle Labs, who produce industrial-grade wireless networking solutions for advanced robotics, will work with Freefly to provide its mini Mesh Rider Radio as the onboard datalink for a new NDAA-compliant version of the Astro.
The high-performance radios operate in an unlicensed frequency band to support commercial drone operations while mitigating RF interference in both urban and rural environments.
Integrating Doodle Labs’ low-SWaP radio will secure long range, high-bandwidth and low latency capabilities, a reliable connection for the drone and meet all compliance standards for Freefly’s large fire management customer base at the US Department of Interior, US Forest Service and other fire management groups, plus a large stable of commercial and industrial customers.
The Astro is also in the final stages of validation to join the Department of Defense / Defense Innovation Unit’s Blue UAS Cleared List, of which Doodle Labs is already a member as a component provider.
The United States Forest Service is already using Freefly’s Alta-X with Doodle Labs’ radios with great success in challenging environments. The introduction of the Astro with unlicensed Doodle Labs Mesh Rider Radio on-board promises to deliver the agency and other federal groups an NDAA-compliant model that is more compact and portable and is designed for deployment from case to flying in just over a minute.
Doodle Labs will showcase the Freefly Astro at its booth at AUVSI Xponential in San Diego, April 23-25. Xponential is one of the world’s largest events for uncrewed and robotic technology.
“Freefly is recognized for their exacting standards — they put their platforms through intense testing to ensure they will be reliable and easy to use for their customers. We at Doodle Labs operate very similarly,” said Doodle Labs Co-CEO Amol Parikh.
“Their integration of our mini Mesh Rider Radio as the NDAA-compliant Astro’s datalink is the result of a very natural partnership, and we’re happy to support Freefly’s growth and support of the public safety, commercial and defense realms.”
This press release was prepared and distributed by Doodle Labs.
