Heurobotics

Heurobotics, founded in 2014 by Richard Anderson and Kerry Symolon Karl, operated as a research and development company specializing in unmanned aerial systems (UAS). The company originated as a business spinoff from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University's Eagle Flight Research Center (EFRC), where Anderson serves as a professor of aerospace engineering and director. This academic and research-intensive background heavily influenced the firm's direction, focusing on developing aerial vehicles that pushed beyond standard market offerings.

The company's primary product was the Mark II, a computer-controlled, hybrid unmanned aircraft. This vehicle distinguished itself with vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) capabilities, similar to a helicopter, combined with the ability to transition to horizontal, fixed-wing flight. This hybrid design offered significant operational flexibility, eliminating the need for runways or launch devices. The aircraft's stability and maneuverability were not due to complex mechanics but rather sophisticated control algorithms that merged principles from both aircraft and spacecraft control systems.

Heurobotics targeted the precision agriculture market, offering a solution for efficient crop monitoring. The Mark II was designed to scan large areas—up to 250 acres on a single 20-minute battery charge—to identify crop stress, which would help farmers optimize the use of pesticides and herbicides, thereby improving crop yields. Beyond agriculture, potential applications included search and rescue missions, infrastructure inspection, and security surveillance. A key milestone was achieved in 2017 when Heurobotics, in partnership with Embry-Riddle and Israeli company Agrowing, secured funding from the Space Florida-Israel Innovation Partnership Program to further develop the Mark II's sensor capabilities for identifying crop stress. Despite these developments, the company is now considered deadpooled.

Keywords: Heurobotics, unmanned aerial systems, UAS, VTOL aircraft, precision agriculture, Embry-Riddle, Eagle Flight Research Center, Mark II drone, hybrid drone, crop scanning, agricultural robotics, aerial surveillance, infrastructure inspection, drone technology, Richard Anderson, Kerry Karl, EFRC spinoff, tail-sitter drone, vertical takeoff landing, drone control systems