COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
RIDLE offers benefit to non-defence markets such as surveillance; virtual conferencing, search and rescue, where transmission of a time critical images are vulnerable to interference.
- Surveillance: There are numerous potential surveillance scenarios, particularly for utility providers where direct human access is difficult or hazardous; the top left illustration in Figure 4 shows a RIDLE encoder on-board a UAV inspecting the safety & maintenance needs of Power Lines and Pylons. The presence of the high voltage can cause interference in the transmission of imagery to a ground station, where an OITL will be inspecting the condition of the infrastructure. Additionally, the inspection of wind turbines, particularly those offshore can be difficult, and the more extreme weather conditions could degrade the image transmission.
- Search & Rescue: Currently services like Mountain Rescue and the Police perform search and rescue activities using UAVs, these are often in difficult terrains, poor weather conditions and/or just regions of poor transmissivity. The top right illustration in Figure 4 shows a RIDLE encoder on-board a UAV searching for a missing girl and/or lost mountain climber. These harsh environments can degrade critical image transmission in a potential life or death situation.
- Mobile Video Messaging: The bottom left illustration in Figure 4 shows a need for RIDLE technology within mobile video communications, particularly in regions of the world where there is poor signal. In our connected world, this is ever becoming an expectation that in many areas just is not currently being delivered.
- Black Box Recording: The bottom right illustration in Figure 4 shows a black box recording, an essential means for investigating the cause of aircraft disasters. During such events, there are interference sources such as electrical fires that can prevent the imagery being recording. This is a time-critical situation where recording imagery is required right up to the end, akin to the defence domain producing Battle Damage Assessment right at the end of missile flight.
Additionally, other areas where the RIDLE technology could apply are video streaming, video conferencing, CCTV, data archiving, etc. – the possibilities are endless.
RIDLE 