Autonomous Aerial Application
As a Senior Perception Engineer at Rotor AI, I contributed to the R44 Sprayhawk program—a gas-powered unmanned VTOL aircraft designed for precision aerial application in agriculture.
The Platform
The Sprayhawk is built on Robinson Helicopter’s proven R44 platform, adapted for fully autonomous operation:
- 110-gallon spray capacity
- 200+ acres/hour production rate
- 60-foot swath width
- Single-pilot ground station operation
Perception System Architecture
The aircraft features a comprehensive sensor suite that I helped develop and integrate:
- 2x Wide FOV Forward Cameras for obstacle detection
- 1x Downward Camera for terrain analysis
- 1x Tail Camera for rear awareness
- Long Range Forward Lidar for obstacle avoidance
- 360-Degree Collision Lidar for full situational awareness
- Radar Altimeter for precise height control
Key Technical Contributions
Terrain-Following Capability
Developed onboard sensing and flight control integration that allows the aircraft to automatically follow terrain, maintaining consistent height and spray swath across varying topography.
Automated Path Following
Implemented computer vision algorithms that enable the aircraft to execute pre-programmed spray routes with high precision, ensuring consistent coverage while reducing pilot workload.
Precision Flow Control
Integrated spray and flow-control systems with visual feedback to enable accurate application rates across varying terrain and field conditions.
Impact
- Enables application of more acres per hour with fewer personnel
- Reduces pilot exposure during low-altitude operations
- Maintains consistent spray quality across complex terrain
- Minimizes downtime with high-capacity payloads