Innopolis team presents indoor airship that navigates without GPS

A team in Innopolis has presented a small airship that determines its indoor position without GPS. The developers aim to make it fully autonomous, Lenta.ru reported on October 9.

The airship has a helium-filled envelope and electronics and software developed by the team. A UWB system with five beacons and two tags determines its position and heading.

Six motors control altitude, tilt, turning and forward motion. Project leader Evgeny Shlomov, a fourth-year student, said existing Russian airships for indoor use require manual piloting, while his team is pursuing autonomy.

The craft can lift up to 200 grams. It is being considered as exhibition equipment that could carry advertising or an FPV camera. It is not designed for outdoor flight because wind could carry it away.

The same laboratory developed a mobile cargo platform. Using lidar, it avoids obstacles and picks up shelving units. Such systems can be used in marketplace warehouses.