Dutch scientists have unveiled the country’s first laboratory to research how autonomous miniature drones can mimic insects to accomplish tasks ranging from finding gas leaks in factories to search-and-rescue missions.
Called the Swarming Lab, researchers at the Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) say they aim to put a “self-flying” swarm of 100 tiny drones in the air, able to perform around the clock tasks.
This included the drones landing by themselves on recharging pods and taking off again to continue flying – without humans ever having to get involved.
READ MORE
Denmark’s Mandarin-speaking badminton champ
Refugee team seeks first Olympic medal
Hungarian judo star fights for his sport
“We are working not only to get these robots to be aware of one another but also work together to complete complex tasks,” said Guido de Croon, a director at TU Delft’s Swarming Lab.
Tasks include the tiny drones, with the same weight as a golf ball or an egg, “sniffing out” a …