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
Perception Pipeline
Built the onboard perception pipeline — fusing cameras, lidar, and radar into a unified view of the aircraft’s surroundings for obstacle detection and situational awareness.
Sensor Integration
Helped develop and integrate the multi-sensor suite, from wide-FOV cameras to 360-degree collision lidar, ensuring reliable perception across varying altitudes and lighting 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