
On October 13, the Linux Foundation launched Dronecode, an open-source project to unite coders working on a software standard for unmanned aerial vehicles.
See also: The Era Of The Drone Has Arrived
Drones have different manufacturers and hardware, but generally the software that’s good for one drone should be good for another. Dronecode will keep software developers from having to reinvent the wheel as they build programs for basic drone behaviors.
“Dronecode will encourage the development of open source consumer and commercial UAV software by building and supporting a community of developers and providing them the resources and tools to help them innovate,” the project’s about page reads. “The ultimate goal is to maximize adoption of the project’s code for the benefit of users with cheaper, better, and more reliable UAV software.”
The project is granted legitimacy by founding members deeply rooting in drone production and open-source development, including 3D Robotics, Baidu, Box, DroneDeploy, Intel, Qualcomm and Walkera. As these partners pool their resources, the project will have the starting code it needs to create basic programs for drone delivery, firefighting, filmmaking, and agriculture, among many of the other implementations drones are increasingly used for.
Now, more than 1,200 developers have joined the project, making about 150 code commits per day, sUAS News reports.
See also: How An Open Source Operating System Jumpstarted Robotics Research
A few years ago, the adoption of a uniform programming language for humanoid robotics did wonders for speeding up robotics development. Open-source software like Dronecode hopes to develop may do the same for unmanned aerial vehicles.
Photo by Don McCullough