Swarming their way (gracefully) to a warzone: Amazing flying display by robotic choppers that could one day help our troops

By Julian Gavaghan
Updated:


Like some epic computer-generated movie scene, futuristic aircraft swarm around in synchronised fashion and perform impressive mid-air stunts.

But the spectacle is real and the robotic nano quadrotors – despite being not much bigger than your hand – could one day revolutionise warfare.

The miniature helicopters, which have four propellers, are still in their infancy in development but have been extensively trialled in carrying items and manoeuvre through small gaps.

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Intelligent: The nano quadrotors, developed by a University of Pennsylvania team, perform a display

Intelligent: The nano quadrotors, developed by a University of Pennsylvania team, perform a display

Quadrotors
Quadrotors

Tricky: The mini choppers, each fitted with four propellers, fly through the window and maintain the formation

It is hoped they may be useful in locations where construction is hazardous for humans, such as in war zones, oil rigs or on extremely tall skyscrapers.

Now, a team from the University of Pennsylvania, which is well known for its quadrotor research, have programmed the mini choppers to carry out autonomous swarm behaviour.

This means they can fly like birds or bees, moving en masse in a synchronised fashion in one direction or another without be programmed to perform individual manoeuvres.

A video, posted on the web by Alex Kushleyev, Daniel Mellinger, and Vijay Kumar  of the General Robotics, Automation, Sensing and Perception, demonstrates this feat.

Up to 20 nano quadrotors swarm around in multiple formations that echo the Red Arrows – except that these craft can get much closer to each other.

Figure of eight: The quadrotors loop around without bumping into each other

Figure of eight: The quadrotors loop around without bumping into each other

Very clever: A nano quadrotor close up

Very clever: A nano quadrotor close up

The swarm is sufficiently intelligent that it can take into consideration obstacles while on a formation flight.

The video shows how each autonomous quadrotor manages to hold its position perfectly during movement while gracefully transitioning between different 3D shapes.

At one point they are able shrink the formation, fly through a window and produce the exact same size shape on the other side.

Trickier yet, they can perform a figure of eight with each craft looping around without bumping into each other.

Whether or not the craft can be used to perform functions in the outside world remains to be seen.

But, although little has been revealed about their technology, robotic nano quadrotors are clearly off to a flying star.

 

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