Computer vision provider Movidius is helping bring new levels of autonomy to DJI’s latest drone, the Phantom 4. The company announced its vision-based autonomy technology will help the Phantom 4 sense and avoid obstacles in real time, and hover in a fixed position without the need for a GPS signal.
“DJI continuously works to make complex technology accessible for anyone with a creative vision. As a result, we constantly seek ways to expand our technological capabilities to push the industry beyond what is thought possible,” said Paul Pan, senior product manager at DJI. “Movidius’ vision processor platform, Myriad 2, met the rigorous requirements we set for our flagship product, and we look forward to continued collaboration with Movidius as we push the boundaries in the drone market.”
According to the companies, this new partnership will help make advanced visual guidance systems a standard feature in consumer drones. DJI’s specialized software algorithms in spatial computing and 3D depth sensing compliment Movidius? Myriad 2 VPU to give drones more autonomous flight foundations and improved awareness. Other visual intelligence features include improved vision-based tracking modes and advanced mapping capabilities.
“DJI has set the direction for the future of the drone market, and we are excited to incorporate Movidius’ low-power artificial vision intelligence technology into DJI drones moving forward,” said Sean Mitchell, COO of Movidius. “Moving the technology from a demonstration to a highly reliable production-worthy stage was a tremendous effort for both DJI and Movidius. The DJI Phantom 4 launch represents a milestone for the future of visually aware devices. We believe we are entering the golden age of embedded computer vision, and our technology has placed Movidius at the forefront of this trend.”
