TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Tainan-based Avilon Intelligence has launched four low-power multirotor drones featuring AI-driven flight control software for applications such as recognition and tracking, barcode scanning, and thermal imaging detection, CNA reported.
Avilon Intelligence CEO Huang Da-feng (黃大峯) said that while drones conventionally relied on GPS for navigation, the increasing demand for autonomous flight has driven the need for new solutions.
In response, the company developed a positioning technology to overcome GPS signal loss in unmanned aerial vehicles, or UAVs. Huang noted that its drones use sensors to perceive their surroundings and then employ AI to create a 3D model, enabling precise location tracking during flight.
Huang noted that by combining sensors with AI-driven positioning technology, drones can autonomously navigate and return to base. This would be possible even given electronic warfare or signal interference, a challenge widely observed in conflicts like the Russia-Ukraine battlefield.
Huang highlighted that Avilon's drones can quickly complete automated tasks by setting flight routes on a tablet. He added the management system allows operators to monitor a drone's flight path and enables coordinated operations with multiple drones working together.
The company shared its UAV application in warehouse management for a Japanese car manufacturer in Thailand. Using its advanced positioning technology, the drone captures images of the warehouse and stitches them together to confirm the exact placement of items. The system then utilizes AI to calculate the volume and quantity of the objects, as well as determine their relative positions in the space.
Once the inventory is assessed, the results are automatically uploaded to the car manufacturer’s management platform, providing real-time stock information for the owner, the company said.
Avilon also introduced the Gryphon EX, a UAV designed for logistics. This drone is capable of carrying up to 10 kilograms of cargo and boasts a maximum flight time of nearly one hour. In 2021, the company collaborated with Chunghwa Post Co. to complete a cross-sea delivery flight from Pingtung’s Donggang Township to Xiaoliuqiu, covering a distance of approximately 26 kilometers.
During last year’s 921 National Disaster Prevention Day drill, Avilon also collaborated with the Institute for Information Industry to use drones for transmitting simulated disaster zone imagery and data, providing search and rescue support for emergency personnel. Additionally, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the company used drones in Thailand to assist hospitals with medication delivery.
The company hopes the government to extend its support beyond military drone development to include commercial UAVs. It also urges adjustments to aviation regulations to promote broader drone applications.
