Drones With Bird Claws Could Save More Battery Life

Tech Times | May 08, 2019

Drones are ubiquitous: they carry into the air important equipment such as remote sensing technology, heat sensors, multi-spectral instruments, and more. Drones are commonly used for surveillance, mineral exploration, disaster relief, and construction. Despite the widespread use of drones, their battery life is often brief and cut short after a few hours. Engineers have yet to determine a wireless way to charge drones while they're still in the air to save enough battery power.
However, there could be a way to preserve the durability of batteries, at least for a few hours more. If drones could perch on the side of buildings using bird-like claws and grippers, researchers believe the battery life of this tiny, unmanned aerial vehicle could last longer than usual. A study published in the journal Science Robotics demonstrated how adding bird-like claws to drones can be a significant modification that could save more battery life. Scientists from Yale University created a design that's inspired by talons, which allows the drone to have modularized landing gears.

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Clyde Companies to Modernize Business by Working with SIS

Clyde Companies | January 30, 2023

Clyde Companies, a US heavy civil firm, has recently announced its partnership with SIS to implement Construct 365 as part of its ongoing effort to improve and modernize its business operations. SIS Construct 365 is a suite of solutions for general and specialty contractors in the mechanical, electrical, and heavy civil markets. It can handle complex billing and adheres to Construction Standards Institute (CSI) standard code setup guidelines. Jeremy Hafen, CEO of Clyde Companies, shared, "Clyde Companies is moving to the next level with exciting innovation, in both operations and customer experience." He added, "This partnership with SIS and Microsoft will not only support our diverse business needs across multiple states and hundreds of worksites for nearly 5,000 employees, but it will also generate cutting-edge, next-generation solutions to help Clyde Companies continue to deliver quality services and products for another hundred years." (Source – PR Newswire) SIS is a Microsoft Business Solutions Partner and a prominent consultant for digital solution implementation, specializing in working with commercial construction firms. In addition to top-notch implementation services, the company offers the Construct 365 suite of services. The services suite is built on Microsoft's industry-leading Dynamics 365 enterprise resource planning platform. About Clyde Companies Based in Orem (Utah) and founded in 1926, Clyde Companies is a leading supplier of building materials and related services in the Intermountain West. The company provides high-quality products and reliable results for projects of all sizes. Some of its specialties are heavy highway, ready-mixed concrete, earthwork, sand and gravel, building materials, asphalt and asphalt paving, and insurance services. Combining the accessibility and support of a small business with a large corporation's stability and resources, Clyde Companies offers all products and services needed for construction.

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ENGINEERING TECH, CONSTRUCTION

Unibloc Hygienic Technologies Acquires Metaltech Precision Engineers

Unibloc | March 10, 2023

On March 9, 2023, Unibloc Hygienic Technologies informed that it has acquired Metaltech Precision Engineers. With this acquisition, the company can further integrate its supply chain, reducing the time it takes to get products to Unibloc customers and adding significant capacity to support growth. Unibloc Hygienic Technologies, a company owned by May River Capital, completed three acquisitions in the past 18 months. In January, the company acquired Duluth, GA-based Standard Pump, a hygienic and industrial process pump manufacturer, including drum pumps and fluid transfer equipment. On the other hand, in August 2021, the company had acquired UK-based Flotronic Pumps, a manufacturer of air-operated double diaphragm (AODD) pumps and related accessories. Chris Stevens, CEO of Unibloc Hygienic Technologies, remarked, “With the two companies’ long history of partnership, Metaltech and UHT leadership saw an opportunity to bring Metaltech’s team members, experience and equipment inside the UHT organization.” He added, “The combination of the two businesses fits hand-in-glove with our internal manufacturing investments and continues our strategy of providing superior customer responsiveness combined with the assurance they will receive premium quality hygienic flow control equipment.” (Source – Business Wire) Dan Barlow, Founding Partner, May River Capital said, “The vertical integration of Metaltech into the UHT portfolio allows Unibloc to have meaningful additional control over its supply chain.” He added, “The acquisition supports UHT’s growth strategy and further enhances the company’s operating efficiency. We are pleased to welcome the Metaltech team to the UHT platform.” (Source – Business Wire) About Unibloc Unibloc Hygienic Technologies, founded in 1984 and headquartered in Kennesaw (Georgia), specializes in flow control technology and performance. The company offers a range of highly engineered products for use in hygienic flow control applications, including drum pumps, positive displacement pumps, and air-operated double diaphragm (AODD) pumps. UHT's products are designed for ease of use and maintenance, helping customers avoid downtime, reduce operating costs, and meet critical deadlines.

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WSB and Bentley Systems Launch Digital Construction Management Service

WSB | March 14, 2023

On March 13, 2023, Bentley Systems, a prominent provider of software for infrastructure engineering, disclosed a collaborative effort with WSB to boost the use of digital twins in the civil infrastructure industry. To enable the civil infrastructure sector to adopt digital workflows and leverage the potential of construction digital twins, WSB has launched a novel digital advisory service and construction management solution powered by Bentley's SYNCHRO. The company has also become the inaugural member of the Bentley Digital Integrator Program for construction, available to engineering and project delivery firms that meet the eligibility criteria. Bentley and WSB's initiative of digital construction management is changing the way infrastructure projects are carried out by combining cutting-edge technology with expert knowledge and creative solutions. Their initiative of digital construction management is changing the way infrastructure projects are carried out by combining cutting-edge technology with expert knowledge and creative solutions. The capacity to produce constructible models from existing 2D plan sets and connect project, document management, and contract to the future of design—a 3D/4D/5D constructible model—are some of the critical services. Through this program, they hope to provide constructors access to the most advanced model-based construction management solution. Carsten Gerke, Senior Vice President of Strategic Partnerships with Bentley Systems, remarked, "Owners and construction firms realize that new digital workflows are needed to meet infrastructure demands. Applying these digital workflows successfully requires a deep understanding of technology, processes, and data." (Source – Business Wire) Jon Chiglo, Chief Operating Officer of WSB, added, "WSB is committed to delivering innovative, reliable, and secure solutions through the use of advanced technology. We believe the successful deployment of an operational 3D model drives transparency, maximizes return on investment, makes possible true lifecycle planning, and drives collaboration to connect and align all stakeholders." (Source – Business Wire) About WSB WSB is a design and consultancy firm that provides services in more than 25 complementary areas, specializing in engineering, environmental protection, urban planning, and building construction. Established in 1995 and based in Minneapolis (MN), WSB serves customers from across the country, operating through 15 offices. Its dedicated professionals monitor and improve people's interactions with communities, transportation, infrastructure, energy, and the environment.

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