Innovative Collaboration: Evolve Dynamics and Doodle Labs Enhance Sky Mantis Drone

Evolve Dynamics has joined forces with Doodle Labs to incorporate Mesh Rider Radios into the Sky Mantis Unmanned Aerial System (UAS).

Sky Mantis: A Versatile UAV Solution

The Sky Mantis UAV, developed by Evolve Dynamics, is a robust mid-sized multi-rotor drone designed for a variety of applications.It offers an impressive flight duration of up to one hour and is engineered to perform reliably in adverse weather conditions,including heavy rain and winds reaching 75 km/h.The platform supports a diverse range of modular payloads, making it suitable for tasks such as aerial photography, mapping, surveying, and gas leak detection.

Enhanced Connectivity with doodle Labs

Based in Los angeles, Doodle Labs specializes in industrial-grade wireless networking solutions.Their Helix Mesh Rider Radio serves as the onboard datalink for the Sky Mantis, providing long-range, high-bandwidth mesh capabilities. This integration ensures a stable connection for the drone, facilitating efficient operations in challenging environments, such as conflict zones in Ukraine, public safety missions, and various industrial applications.

Real-World Applications and Deployments

The Sky Mantis is actively utilized by police forces, fire departments, energy inspection agencies, search and rescue teams, and the UK Ministry of Defense, as well as by Ukrainian defense units. This widespread adoption underscores the drone’s versatility and reliability in critical situations.

Expert Insights on the Partnership

Mike Dewhirst, the Founder of Evolve Dynamics, emphasized the importance of Doodle Labs’ innovative approach: “While many radio manufacturers exist, Doodle Labs stands out for its responsiveness and cutting-edge technology at competitive prices.Agility is crucial on the frontlines, especially in Ukraine.”

Dewhirst further elaborated, “Even the best drone platform has limited utility without a robust radio link. The combination of our technologies creates a powerful synergy, enhancing flight time, weather resilience, jamming resistance, and overall performance.”

Advanced Features of the Mesh Rider Radio

The Mesh Rider Radio utilizes Doodle Labs’ proprietary multi-band technology, allowing it to operate across six frequency bands within a single unit. It offers various band combinations, such as 900 MHz and 2.4 GHz for commercial applications, and also multiple Helix options for defense use, accommodating both licensed and unlicensed bands for dual-purpose scenarios.

One of the standout features of the radio is its Sense capability, which enables the drone to automatically switch channels and bands to counteract jamming attempts, ensuring connectivity in contested areas like those in Ukraine where the Sky Mantis is deployed.

Support from the Defense Sector

The advancement of the mesh Rider Radio received partial funding from the U.S. Department of Defense’s Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), and it complies with the standards set by DIU’s Blue UAS program, ensuring it meets NDAA requirements.

Addressing Challenges in High-Stakes Environments

Amol parikh, VP of Marketing at Doodle Labs, remarked, “Drone operators in Ukraine face some of the most challenging conditions globally. Our Mesh Rider Radio is designed to provide a reliable datalink amidst jamming and interference, and we are honored that Evolve Dynamics trusts our technology in such a high-performance platform.”

Upcoming Webinar Highlighting the Sky Mantis

Doodle Labs will showcase the Sky Mantis during its upcoming AUVSI Webinar titled “Flying Drones in the World’s Most Challenging Environments,” scheduled for Wednesday, November 29th at 3 PM ET / 12 PM PT.