Weekly GEOINT Community News

DARPA Announces 2019 AI Colloquium

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) will host an Artificial Intelligence Colloquium March 6-7, 2019, in Alexandria, Va., as part of its AI Next campaign. The event will feature presentations from current DARPA researchers and program managers, an update on DARPA’s Artificial Intelligence Exploration program, and a panel discussion on AI ethics.

Airbus and John Deere Receive Innovation Award

Airbus and John Deere received a silver medal at the 2019 SIMA Innovation Award ceremony for Live NBalance, a joint service merging satellite and tractor data to precisely monitor intra-field nitrogen (N) balance during growing seasons. With this dashboard, farmers can evaluate crop fertilization efficiency and visualize potential deviations in the field. The companies will test a beta version of Live NBalance in 2019.

Boeing and SparkCognition to Launch Air Traffic Software Company

Boeing and SparkCognition announced plans to launch SkyGrid, a new software company focused on safe, secure integration of autonomous cargo and passenger air vehicles in the global airspace. Blockchain technology, AI-enabled traffic routing, data analytics, and cybersecurity features will help SkyGrid customers safely perform UAS missions including package delivery, industrial inspections, and emergency assistance.

Maxar Shareholders Approve U.S. Domestication

Maxar Technologies shareholders approved the company’s U.S. domestication and its transition to U.S. GAAP accounting standards and U.S. domestic securities filings. The company will continue to list its shares on both the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX), and does not anticipate any impact on its employees, customers, or suppliers. Maxar plans for the domestication to be completed on or around January 1, 2019.

Cloudera and Hortonworks Prepare for Merger

Cloudera and Hortonworks, who began a merger in October, announced that the U.S. Federal Trade Commission has granted early termination of the waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976. The companies plan to hold meetings for shareholders to vote on the proposed merger in late December 2018.

Photo Credit: Airbus.