The deadline for the Nemo Drone Prize, which aimed to prove the humanitarian and disaster-relief capabilities of drones, and especially low-cost DIY Drones, passed without submissions. But I'm hardly considering this a failure.
An update on the Nemo Drone Prize, from my website MentalMunition.com:
It hasn't been a good month for domestic drones in the United States. Lawmakers in Texas, Oregon, Missouri, and elsewhere recently introduced anti-drone legislation that could cripple commercial and humanitarian drone use in the United States. Journalism, that stuff that provides the essential flow of information for a democracy, could be hampered.
Couple that with delays in the federally-mandated process to integrate unmanned aerial systems into the national airspace, and you've got a problem that not only threatens a potential economic boost of $90 billion, but also shuts out life-saving technology.
I wanted to do something about it. I was preparing for a business trip to Washington DC by way of Boston, which is how I came to know a historic blizzard could slam the region and derail my travel plans. I had learned that governors in four states were ordering citizens not to use the road.
Travel, even by emergency vehicles, would be hampered severely. Well, perhaps emergency vehicles that drove on roads. But maybe not ones that flew in the sky.
I didn't have enough time to set up a Kickstarter for a drone that would help out during the blizzard. But there are many DIY drone enthusiasts in that part of the country, and surely someone out there could demonstrate that drones can provide essential services. Maybe one of them could program their drone to drop off an "emergency package."
I thought a prize would be a better format. Much like the X-Prize, which gives awards for technological achievements for space travel and oil spill cleanup, this would reward people for trying to make technology work for humanity. But this would reward people for proving that drones can be used for good.
So I did what I could. I withdrew $60 from my own bank account, and fired off a blog post. I copied the post on other online communities.
Then something unexpected happened. Over the next 24 hours, I received emails from other people in the community who believed in this vision and wanted to help.
Walter Volkman of Micro Aerial Projects LLC matched my $60. Then, Adam Sloan of BirdsEyeView threw in $100. Gary Mortimer of sUASNews.com pledged $120. Michael Shimniok of Bot-Thoughts.com contributed $20. Kévin Bouchard, a robotics coordinator and a student in computer science, also contributed $20.
One day after I launched the contest, the prize pot had grown more than six times its original size, to $380.
I'd like to thank the following sponsors for helping make the prize possible:
As the post reads, many of us involved in the prize are considering re-starting the challenge and making this thing systemic, but with introducing different parameters. The goal will still be centered around humanitarian or disaster-relief via drones or UAS.
If you've got any suggestions as to what the next goal for the Nemo Prize would be, please do comment here or send an email to mschroyer@gmail.com. Also looking for more sponsors, if this is something you'd like to get behind.
Although we didn't get any submissions, I was still able to snap some aerial photos above Massachusets. Visit the post to see more photos.
Comments
sweet.. yeah a push for innovative ideas and solutions and not just grab the quad and go outside sort of thing. Sort of like the stuff that people are working together with 3D printing and such. I wish there was a open source community of all of the UAV technologies.. like aerial vegitation stress analysis, or aerial surveying, etc... not just autopilot community... mabye there is and I don't know about it. I would love to get the aerial stress analysis thing figured out.. lots of oppertunity here in the midwest.
Thanks for your comments, guys. We'll be looking to take this thing international, and also looking for ways on how to make this more of a rescue challenge perhaps than a dropping challenge.
There wasn't much time for people to do the challenge last time, which definitely affected turnout. People really only had one day to make this happen given the weather limitations, which was Saturday, Feb. 15. But the reason I limited the contest like I did was because I wanted to show the functionality of aerial robots in this specific setting.
Next time won't be so limited, but I'm also looking for ways that people can do this in their own communities, without having to travel to another country as in the Outback challenge. Having flight logs is very helpful. Any suggestions are welcome.
Thinking of focusing on the design aspect, as I think you're alluding to, Mark. Not simply getting an existing drone to prove useful, but baking that into the overall design of the drone. IE, an award that speaks to the process of creating it as well as the functionality of the thing.
Yes I think that would be best. Also social media and could be utilized for low to no cost advertisement so that not only DIY members are aware but to draw in members to be.
I think search and rescue would be a very visible thing.. and I am sure there are technologies out there that exist or could be made better to do the job better.
So a x-prize of sorts would probably be better than just a 'do something useful during the storm'.. as it woudl allow people the brainstorm and come up with advances.
I think contests like this are great.. gets you thinking about what one could do that would be helpful.. granted with the timing of it all there wasn't much time to figure something out, plan it and execute it... also doesn't help that I no longer live on the east coast.
I like the idea of a challange such as the rescue challenge... one could plan a get together of drone/uav people.. and take wooded or otherwise area and drop a few personal items like shoes or something.. then have teams of people scan the area marking each item with a market (waypoint or something).
If this goes ahead then try to make it open to "outsiders", dont limit it to the USA. Include Canada and I'll put my name down.
Good luck
Im in full agreement, It would also show to the less informed that UAV platforms and technologis are much more than the next talking missile or flying cost effective gun ship.
UAV for disaster relief and humanitarian aid is something I am highly interested in. Maybe a U.S. contest similar to the Australian UAV Rescue Challenge: http://www.uavoutbackchallenge.com.au/
It would really help with public opinion on drones, especially with so much negative news going around right now...
Thank you Mathew for your great Idea, If you decide to try this endeavor again next year, I know you have at least one entry, but If I were in your shoes, I would probably continue publicity and contiue to solicit more donations to grow the pot so by the first of next year, the pot will be a very big one!
Again this is a great Idea!!!!!!