U of R researchers close to using drones to track people

It could help find a lost child or chase a criminal.

"I was flabbergasted when we managed to get that stuff working. It's pretty science fiction-y and out of this world," said Raman Paranjape, a professor of electronic systems engineering at the Uof R.

Paranjape and his team of researchers have been using drones or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) to track objects and even human faces.

A drone can currently lock onto a person's face and follow them. The aim at the end of the project is to be able show a UAV an imageof a person and it will look for that individual, tracking them through a crowd.

"We need to make the imaging processing more robust. We need to use more powerful computers on board," said Paranjape.

The drones they experimentwith are toys, and the team breaks them regularly. They're on their tenthdrone.

Before the researchers enabled a UAV to track faces, they first developed technology to allow a droneto operate on its own.

A drone typically has a cameraand is operated via remote control. It cannot perceive depth and would crash without an operator.

The researchers created software that allows a drone to measure its distance between objects in relation to its movements. It can create amap of the world around it and recognize where it is located within the map. This allows it to move and avoid objects without a human controlling it.

Paranjape acknowledgedthat drones are currently not allowed to fly over crowds but he hopes that if the technology isaccepted, it could be used to help people.

"We are experimenting with thistechnologyand I am amazed that we can do the things we do but, you know, we are looking for more funding and more support. I think we are demonstrating that we can do very usefulthings,"Paranjapesaid.

The drones could be used to assist the police, militaryor first responders in situations where it might be too dangerous for a human. It could also help withaccident reconstruction.

The drone could also be operated by engineersto inspect the structureof a building or bridge.

"This technology of [drones] is really going to enter our daily lives," Paranjape said.