UK start-up launches autonomous drone ADDER

The initial prototypes will deliver up to 200g of equipment over a 200m distance and to less than 2m accuracy, with a larger aircraft and a larger payload to be developed in the future, with longer reach and better accuracy. 

This builds on work for a confidential industrial project to deliver vital equipment to offshore locations whatever the conditions - where failure to deliver on any day can cost £100,000’s. The defence applications are in last mile resupply of small goods - delivered safely and autonomously; as well as the potential of weaponising ADDER to deliver a specific effect accurately and to a pre-determined target.

ADDER builds on the expertise developed for FlareBright’s existing product, SnapShot, which recently achieved its 500^th Test Flight. SnapShot can take high-quality aerial images in most weather and atmospheric conditions, with its hand-portable and extremely robust equipment. It has a unique method of launch and flight.

It is ballistically launched to a height of 100m then uses sophisticated and patent pending software to control a glide path and home to the user. The advantages of this are that it can fly in almost any weather or atmospheric conditions, and it isn’t affected by other electromagnetic signals. 

Customer interest has been shown from law enforcement, the emergency services, industrial inspection companies, urban mapping and the defence sector.

FlareBright’s CEO, Kelvin Hamilton said: “We have many years of software and AI development to reach the point of being confident to deliver vital supplies to any location in the world irrespective of weather or other challenges. We are expecting this to launch a new era of AI-enabled drone delivery.”