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Tracey Birch, Michael Gleason and Ian Blenke, members of the SOFWERX data science team, develop software during the ThunderDrone Rodeo at their newest facility in Tampa, Fla., Oct. 31, 2017. ThunderDrone is a U.S. Special Operations Command initiative dedicated to drone prototyping, which focuses on exploring drone technologies through idea formation, testing, and demonstration. (Photo by U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Barry Loo)
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Tracey Birch, Michael Gleason and Ian Blenke, members of the SOFWERX data science team, develop software during the ThunderDrone Rodeo at their newest facility in Tampa, Fla., Oct. 31, 2017. ThunderDrone is a U.S. Special Operations Command initiative dedicated to drone prototyping, which focuses on exploring drone technologies through idea formation, testing, and demonstration. (Photo by U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Barry Loo)
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Chi Chen, a SOFWERX industry fellow, prepares an autonomous robot for demonstration during the ThunderDrone Rodeo at the newest SOFWERX facility in Tampa, Fla., Oct. 31, 2017. ThunderDrone is a U.S. Special Operations Command initiative dedicated to drone prototyping, which focuses on exploring drone technologies through idea formation, testing, and demonstration. (Photo by U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Barry Loo)
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Chi Chen, a SOFWERX industry fellow, prepares an autonomous robot for demonstration during the ThunderDrone Rodeo at the newest SOFWERX facility in Tampa, Fla., Oct. 31, 2017. ThunderDrone is a U.S. Special Operations Command initiative dedicated to drone prototyping, which focuses on exploring drone technologies through idea formation, testing, and demonstration. (Photo by U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Barry Loo)
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Employees of Endeavor Robotics and Asylon demonstrate a drone automated payload swap system during the ThunderDrone Rodeo at the newest SOFWERX facility in Tampa, Fla., Oct. 31, 2017. ThunderDrone is a U.S. Special Operations Command initiative dedicated to drone prototyping, which focuses on exploring drone technologies through idea formation, testing, and demonstration. (Photo by U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Barry Loo)
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Brent McLaughlin demonstrates a drone automated payload swap system from Employees of Endeavor Robotics and Asylon during the ThunderDrone Rodeo at the newest SOFWERX facility in Tampa, Fla., Oct. 31, 2017. ThunderDrone is a U.S. Special Operations Command initiative dedicated to drone prototyping, which focuses on exploring drone technologies through idea formation, testing, and demonstration. (Photo by U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Barry Loo)
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Military and civilian personnel including James Laney, center, head of autonomy and applications for Ghost Robotics, attend the ThunderDrone Rodeo at the newest SOFWERX facility in Tampa, Fla., Nov. 1, 2017. ThunderDrone is a U.S. Special Operations Command initiative dedicated to drone prototyping, which focuses on exploring drone technologies through idea formation, testing, and demonstration. (Photo by U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Barry Loo)
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Military and civilian personnel attend the ThunderDrone Rodeo at the newest SOFWERX facility in Tampa, Fla., Nov. 1, 2017. ThunderDrone is a U.S. Special Operations Command initiative dedicated to drone prototyping, which focuses on exploring drone technologies through idea formation, testing, and demonstration. (Photo by U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Barry Loo)
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Dillon Nelson, right, and Dane Johnson, research engineers from the Oklahoma State University Unmanned Systems Research Institute, assemble collision resistant drones during the ThunderDrone Rodeo at the newest SOFWERX facility in Tampa, Fla., Nov. 1, 2017. ThunderDrone is a U.S. Special Operations Command initiative dedicated to drone prototyping, which focuses on exploring drone technologies through idea formation, testing, and demonstration. (Photo by U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Barry Loo)
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Employees of Planck Aerosystems and WiBotic demonstrate drone autonomous landing and charging technology during the ThunderDrone Rodeo at the newest SOFWERX facility in Tampa, Fla., Nov. 1, 2017. ThunderDrone is a U.S. Special Operations Command initiative dedicated to drone prototyping, which focuses on exploring drone technologies through idea formation, testing, and demonstration. (Photo by U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Barry Loo)
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Employees of Planck Aerosystems and WiBotic demonstrate drone autonomous landing and charging technology during the ThunderDrone Rodeo at the newest SOFWERX facility in Tampa, Fla., Nov. 1, 2017. ThunderDrone is a U.S. Special Operations Command initiative dedicated to drone prototyping, which focuses on exploring drone technologies through idea formation, testing, and demonstration. (Photo by U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Barry Loo)
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William Fredericks, founder of Advanced Aircraft Company, demonstrates a long-range, high-endurance drone during the ThunderDrone Rodeo at the newest SOFWERX facility in Tampa, Fla., Nov. 1, 2017. ThunderDrone is a U.S. Special Operations Command initiative dedicated to drone prototyping, which focuses on exploring drone technologies through idea formation, testing, and demonstration. (Photo by U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Barry Loo)
