How to Save and Load Model Weights in Google Colab

Google Colab, a hosted Jupyter Notebook service by Google, offers a free compute environment with included GPU and TPU support, making it ideal for model experimentation with pre-installed Python packages. The article highlights the Roboflow Model Library, which provides free, open-source computer vision models available on Colab. However, Colab has a 12-hour compute limit and disconnects after an hour of inactivity, necessitating the saving and reloading of model weights for continued experimentation. The article provides a detailed walkthrough for saving model weights from YOLOv5 models in the Roboflow Model Library to either local storage or Google Drive and explains how to reload these weights in future Colab sessions. It instructs users on managing file paths for saving and reloading weights, emphasizing the importance of integrating Google Drive with Colab for seamless model weight management. The guide further demonstrates how to use these weights in Colab for running inference, enhancing the efficiency of model experimentation and deployment via platforms like Roboflow.