NASA taps Kyoto startup to make maps of the wind for drones

MetroWeather estimates the ultimate market for its services will be measured in billions of dollars, up from less than US$100mil (RM416.90mil) now focused mostly on wind power. Drone inspections of infrastructure and medical applications which call for speedy delivery of high-value low-weight payloads are likely to follow, Furumoto said. — AFP

The US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa) is turning to a Japanese startup for help in creating maps of the wind that will make it safer for drones and air taxis to take to the skies around the world.

MetroWeather Co makes compact, low-cost lidar sensors that can be used to detect hazards like wind shear, allowing unmanned aerial vehicles to operate in urban environments, chief executive officer Junichi Furumoto said in an interview. The Kyoto-based company will work with TruWeather Solutions Inc in the US as part of Nasa’s Small Business Innovation Research grant programme.