Drones

Tando drone is designed to serve as a flying security guard

Tando drone is designed to serve as a flying security guard
Protective screens keep the drone's whirling propellers away from employees' fingers
Protective screens keep the drone's whirling propellers away from employees' fingers
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Protective screens keep the drone's whirling propellers away from employees' fingers
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Protective screens keep the drone's whirling propellers away from employees' fingers
One Tando drone can dock at any of the multiple Tiles located throughout the building
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One Tando drone can dock at any of the multiple Tiles located throughout the building

Flying drones are already used to patrol outdoor areas, but indoors where GPS doesn't work? Not so much. That could be about to change, though, with the launch of the Tando system.

Developed by Israeli startup Indoor Robotics, Tando consists of three parts – the quadcopter drones, ceiling-mounted "Tiles" where the drones recharge their batteries, and an app that allows users to manage the system.

When not patrolling, each drone hangs from the underside of one of the Tiles, held in place by a patented docking mechanism. Once it's time to start making its rounds (typically after the employees have gone home for the day), the aircraft drops from the Tile and begins flying up and down the hallways, and throughout the facility.

One Tando drone can dock at any of the multiple Tiles located throughout the building
One Tando drone can dock at any of the multiple Tiles located throughout the building

The drones work as a cooperative fleet, with different ones covering different areas. That said, clients with smaller budgets or smaller buildings can simply use a single drone.

Utilizing both optical and thermal imaging cameras, the quadcopters continuously scan their environment in 360 degrees – even when they're docked at a Tile. Data is processed in real time utilizing artificial intelligence-based algorithms on a cloud-based server. If anomalies such as intruders, fires or unfamiliar objects are detected, the administrator of the system is notified via the app.

Instead of using GPS, the drones make their way around the facility utilizing a combination of visual navigation – in which they recognize certain landmarks – and LiDAR-like technology. "The device is basically 'seeing' the environment, and is also 'feeling' the distances and thus knows its precise location at any given time," Indoor Robotics' Chief Business Officer, Ofir Bar Levav, tells us.

Pricing for the system has yet to be announced, although Levav says that it should be considerably less expensive than more traditional alternatives such as human security guards, ground-based drones or stationary sensors.

You can see the setup in use, in the following video.

Source: Indoor Robotics

Tando™

5 comments
5 comments
wolf0579
This will be a real challenge for physical pen. testers. The thermal imaging capabilities will be a bitch to counter.
WB
It would be helpful if more than pipe dreams are shown. So I guess any business just will have to leave all doors wide open... or take this video so someone introduced into the server room. Well no S#!^ if you have to leave every door open. And btw this scenario they mention is so made up and not realistic it's funny. I don't know a server room that leaves the doors wide open....
IanL
Patented Docking System!!!! SERIOUSLY!!! Why do these people insist on claiming "Patentable" items. By all accounts it looks like a simple Magnetic or electromagnetic arrangement and Wireless charging. I am so sick and tired of people claiming "Innovation" when its blatantly not!

As for going to the expense of installing and delpoying a Drone (which can be EASILY destroyed by an intruderr..... Just install Infrared, PIR , Sound and other detectors, cameras in the best strategic places.

Waste of money and effort.
zort
Video left out what I was most curious about--the noise levels. Not too stealthy if you can hear it coming down the hall.
BlueOak
Clearly this drone as security guard thing will soon be a crowded space. Even Amazon showed a version last year.

Specific to this company, their website is rather thin on content, specifics, and the background and credibility of the company.

Corporate security at many companies will resist the security risks of a cloud-based solution like this. Privacy and proprietary company info protection interests would eliminate this solution. The companies that develop completely local solutions will likely find more acceptance by corporate security departments.