Robocopters to the rescue

One experimental unmanned helicopter nearly landed on a boulder and had to be saved by the backup pilot. Another recently crashed during the landing phase. To avoid such embarrassments, the K-Max dangles cargo from a rope as a “sling load” so that the helicopter doesn't have to land when making a delivery. Such work-arounds throw away much of the helicopter's inherent advantage. If we want these machines to save lives, we must give them eyes, ears, and a modicum of judgment. In other words, an autonomous system needs perception, planning, and control. It must sense its surroundings and interpret them in a useful way. Next, it must decide which actions to perform in order to achieve its objectives safely. Finally, it must control itself so as to implement those decisions.