Inputs by Shuchi Giridhar
China has created the world’s first AI operated drone carrier. It will be used in the sea.
Plainspeak: China has built a ship that will conduct research in the sea entirely on its own. It will not be controlled by a human, it will not have any humans on board. It will be driven completely by Artificial Intelligence – Al. AI is a special kind of computer program that allows a computer to learn from its own mistakes and get better.
A drone carrier is a vehicle that can carry other drones to a place where they are needed. Usually, drones are able to fly to their destination, just like cars can be driven to any place that is connected by road. Still, we transport cars from the factory to the showroom using large carriers. A drone carrier does the exact same thing for drones.
The launch of the world’s first AI operated drone carrier has taken place on Wednesday, 18th May, 2022. While many firms around the world are researching this tech, this is the first piece that has been officially launched.
The construction of the carrier started in July 2021.
The carrier has been named Zhu Hai Yun and was constructed in the city of Guangzhou by Huangpu Wenchong Shipyard.
Being able to travel autonomously, the ship will help China’s marine observation and research greatly.
The carrier is 88.5 meters long,14 meters wide, and has a height of 6.1 meters.
It is capable of moving upto a speed of 18 knots. 1 knot is 1.852 kilometers per hour. Knot is usually used to indicate the speed of a ship. A top speed of 18 knots would mean 33.33 kmph (kilometers per hour).
All of its power systems, propulsion systems, intelligence systems, and survey operation support systems have been manufactured with materials from China. The carrier is designed with a wide deck. This will provide space to accommodate dozens of vehicles and drones.