December 5, 2016 – Mouser Electronics Inc., together with Easy Aerial Inc. and celebrity engineer Grant Imahara, today launched the second video episode from the latest series in the Empowering Innovation Together™ program. The new Project First Responders focuses on creating a proof of concept for an autonomous, cloud-based drone platform for public safety operations during emergencies such as wildfires. The drone project is being developed in the Mouser Innovation Lab with parts from platinum sponsor TE Connectivity.
1st RespondersWith Project First Responders, the team seeks to develop new technology that can help save communities and lives — all by bringing top engineering minds together in the Mouser Innovation Lab. In the first episode, Mouser, Grant and team focused on the need for a communications network that could link multiple drones for a single purpose. By employing Easy Aerial’s GlobalARC peer-to-peer communications platform, the team can control multiple drones to help first responders in natural disasters or other crises.
In the latest episode, the team focuses on continuing the proof of concept by diving into the logistical hurdles of having drones available when needed, ensuring and maintaining communications between cell towers and drones during a natural disaster, and providing essential security levels for different users or government agencies.
“This new series in the Empowering Innovation Together program is an opportunity to foster innovation and use technology to improve — or, even better, to save — lives,” said Glenn Smith, President and CEO of Mouser Electronics.
“Drones can be a huge advantage to agencies fighting natural disasters,” said Grant Imahara. “They can launch immediately, gather vital data about an emergency situation, and help efficiently relay that information to all agencies involved, all without putting further lives at risk.”
The drone project also features products from Intel®. To learn more about Mouser’s Empowering Innovation Together program — featuring new projects like 3D-printing cars with drone launching technology — visit http://www.mouser.com/empowering-innovation. To watch the new video on Mouser’s YouTube channel, visit https://youtu.be/HnuRsqEBf9U.
About Mouser Electronics
Mouser Electronics, a subsidiary of TTI, Inc., is part of Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway family of companies. Mouser is an award-winning, authorized semiconductor and electronic component distributor, focused on the rapid introduction of new products and technologies to electronic design engineers and buyers. Mouser.com features more than 4 million products online from more than 600 manufacturers. Mouser publishes multiple catalogs per year providing designers with up-to-date data on the components now available for the next generation of electronic devices. Mouser ships globally to over 500,000 customers in 170 countries from its 750,000 sq. ft. state-of-the-art facility south of Dallas, Texas. For more information, visit http://www.mouser.com.
About Grant Imahara
Well known in the engineering community, Grant Imahara has paired his engineering expertise with a Hollywood TV and film career. In addition to his roles on MythBusters and BattleBots, Imahara is the inventor behind many famous robotic characters, including the Star Wars prequel-era R2-D2, talking robot sidekick Geoff Peterson from The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, and the rhythmic arms on the modern-day Energizer Bunny.
About GlobalARC
GlobalARC is a full service UAV deployment and management system with built-in airspace compliance and live video feed from drones. It was built by Easy Aerial for professionals looking to manage their fleets and engage in commercial UAV operations. GlobalARC enables companies and service providers to integrate UAV operations into their day to day activities and quickly scale while automatically complying with current rules and regulations. To learn more, visit www.globalarc.us.
