P6noodle Soup P16 Showcases from the Peranakan the Outstanding Culture, Which Is a Works of a New Merger of Chinese Generation of Art and and Malay Elements
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Community Community Laksa is a VCUQatar popular spicy Exhibition P6noodle soup P16 showcases from the Peranakan the outstanding culture, which is a works of a new merger of Chinese generation of art and and Malay elements. design talent in Qatar. Friday, May 12, 2017 Sha’baan 16, 1438 AH DOHA 31°C—41°C TODAY LEISURE 12 & 13 LIFESTYLE/HOROSCOPE 14 Ringing in the new Air traff ic control for drones is coming. Here’s how it could work. P2-3 COVER STORY 2 GULF TIMES Friday, May 12, 2017 COMMUNITY COVER STORY Seeking cruise control in air PRAYER TIME By 2020, an estimated 7 million drones could be zipping Fajr 3.27am Shorooq (sunrise) 4.51am Zuhr (noon) 11.30am around the US delivering packages, taking photos, Asr (afternoon) 2.58pm Maghreb (sunset) 6.12pm Isha (night) 7.42pm inspecting infrastructure or conducting search and USEFUL NUMBERS rescue missions, writes Samantha Masunaga Emergency 999 Worldwide Emergency Number 112 Kahramaa – Electricity and Water 991 Local Directory 180 International Calls Enquires 150 Hamad International Airport 40106666 Labor Department 44508111, 44406537 Mowasalat Taxi 44588888 Qatar Airways 44496000 Hamad Medical Corporation 44392222, 44393333 Qatar General Electricity and Water Corporation 44845555, 44845464 Primary Health Care Corporation 44593333 44593363 Qatar Assistive Technology Centre 44594050 Qatar News Agency 44450205 44450333 Q-Post – General Postal Corporation 44464444 Humanitarian Services Offi ce (Single window facility for the repatriation of bodies) Ministry of Interior 40253371, 40253372, 40253369 Ministry of Health 40253370, 40253364 Hamad Medical Corporation 40253368, 40253365 Qatar Airways 40253374 ote Unquo Qu te Mother’s love is peace. It need not be acquired, SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME: Drone advocates envision a future in which swarms of autonomous aircraft will be in transit or it need not be deserved. performing tasks, so data about their surroundings will be a key to traff ic management ut before that happens, rely on human controllers in towers The plan is to fi nish the research by – Erich Fromm they’ll need a system in who bark instructions to incoming 2019 and hand over ideas for the FAA place to avoid crashing and outgoing aircraft. Instead, drone to implement no later than 2025. into each other — or worse, operators will use an electronic system But the FAA will not be creating the passenger aircraft. to get access to constraint notifi cations entire electronic traffi c management BNasa, along with the Federal and input fl ight information. And they system — that task will largely be Aviation Administration and an will be expected to follow the rules. handled by companies that are already Community Editor extensive list of industry partners, has Eventually, the system will be developing drone navigation and been researching the requirements autonomous. communication software, or drone Kamran Rehmat needed to establish a drone traffi c “We needed to look at things that manufacturers that want to create their e-mail: [email protected] management system. This summer, can be done cost-eff ectively, can be own system. Telephone: 44466405 some of those ideas will be tested in done safely,” said Parimal Kopardekar, That approach is not unlike the one Fax: 44350474 the fi eld. principal investigator at Nasa for spelled out for self-driving cars by the Unlike the current air traffi c unmanned aerial systems traffi c Department of Transportation last fall, management system, this one won’t management. in which the feds outlined loose safety Friday, May 12, 2017 GULF TIMES 3 COVER STORY COMMUNITY Once the rules are set and all drone systems can speak the same language, “that really unlocks the true potential of networked aerial robotics,” says Jonathan Evans, co-president of Skyward, a drone operations software firm that is participating in the NASA project DREAMING BIG: Work still needs to be done to ensure drone connectivity in places with spotty reception, such as between buildings. guidelines but left it to companies data for the project. But tools have to fl y beyond their operators’ sight to come up with solutions. not yet been developed to predict unless they get special permission Once the rules are set and all how weather will aff ect small from the FAA. But Nasa is already drone systems can speak the same drones fl ying around obstacles testing what drones will need if language, “that really unlocks the such as buildings or hills at such they’re allowed to fl y further away. true potential of networked aerial low altitude, Gitlin said. Users will have to be able robotics,” said Jonathan Evans, to pinpoint where drones are co-president of Skyward, a drone Making complete maps and where they’re headed to operations software fi rm that is Drone advocates envision avoid confl icts. That location participating in the Nasa project. a future in which swarms of tracking will be handled through The research for the drone autonomous aircraft will be in technology including satellites and system is focused on what’s transit or performing tasks, so cellular networks, which is why known as uncontrolled airspace, data about their surroundings will telecommunications outfi ts such a lower altitude that isn’t be a key to traffi c management. as Verizon, Qualcomm and AT&T currently managed by air traffi c “There won’t be an operator are working with Nasa. management. However, Nasa is looking through cameras or Work still needs to be done also researching how to one day looking at anything to know the to ensure drone connectivity in integrate drones into controlled world around the drone,” said places with spotty reception, such airspace alongside crewed aircraft. Greg McNeal, co-founder of Santa as between buildings. Here’s a look at some of the Monica, California, company “The cellular connectivity piece major requirements — and AirMap. “The drone’s going to is really about performance,” practical challenges — of drone have to know it itself.” said Mike Leff , vice president of traffi c management. That navigation will require civilian work in AT&T’s global more than just a basic street map. public sector. “We’re going to Tracking the weather In addition to locations of physical need to ensure the right amount of During a recent Nasa field test buildings, navigation systems also bandwidth … and reliability.” of the system in Reno, Nevada, need to pick up dynamic data — a gust of wind tossed some information that changes in real time Speaking a common of the drones more than 100 and enables drones to steer clear of language feet, pushing them out of their dangerous or restricted areas. For all this to work, drones will designated operating zones. That can include changing have to “talk” to each other and The technology worked as environmental factors, such as exchange information. intended: operators received seasonal weather conditions that Nasa, the FAA and the industry notice of the conditions and could make fl ying over a certain will have to fi gure out the exact were able to land the drones area more diffi cult during various types of information that need safely, said Steve Gitlin, vice times of the year. It also includes to pass from one type of drone president of corporate strategy at designated sensitive areas, such operating system to another. The Monrovia, California, company as airports or power plants, which systems will also need a common AeroVironment Inc. The test can be protected by virtual barriers communication protocol and showed how much weather can known as geofences. consistent cybersecurity practices. aff ect drone flights, and that AirMap, which develops drone This can get tricky since drone the devices need proper spacing traffi c management software, said manufacturers and software just like manned aircraft, said discussions about the importance developers — like makers of self- “There won’t be an operator Kopardekar of Nasa. of dynamic data during the Nasa driving cars and their software Small drones are much more project prompted changes in its — could resist passing potentially looking through cameras or susceptible to weather changes own product. The company then proprietary data to rivals. But looking at anything to know the because they fl y low, Gitlin said. worked with local governments Nasa’s Kopardekar said that AeroVironment’s Puma drone, and agencies to notify users when industry partners have so far been world around the drone,” says which looks like a miniaturised they were fl ying their drones too willing to collaborate and that no Cessna private plane, took part in close to emergencies such as fi res, company-sensitive data will be Greg McNeal, co-founder of Santa the Nasa test in Reno. which could hinder fi refi ghting shared. Nasa partners with operations. “All of them have a common Monica, California, company organisations such as the National interest, which is safe access to AirMap. “The drone’s going to have Oceanic and Atmospheric Dialling up directions airspace,” he said. —Los Angeles Administration to pull in weather Drones aren’t currently allowed Times/TNS to know it itself” 4 GULF TIMES Friday, May 12, 2017 COMMUNITY TRAVEL Back to the future on the Cook Islands Calm and as clear as glass, Aitutaki Lagoon is the stuff of dreams. nation like the Cooks, population thinking: If it doesn’t have a spa, it conservation project, and to learn to appoint a task force to head the By Anne Z Cooke 15,000, it was a Cinderella isn’t luxury.) “Ask around, see what why an in-depth survey of every project. promise. people say and let me know,” she fold and ripple within the Cook’s It was also time for a just-caught, Fast forward 35 years to last added.