Researchers from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, University of California and the Johns Hopkins University in Maryland have developed biomimetic flying robots. Based on the mechanisms adopted by birds, bats, insects, and snakes, the researchers developed solutions to some of the common problems that drones can face when navigating through an urban environment. The microrobot they designed, which was the size of a penny, could take off and land and hover in the air for sustained periods of time. The first small drones have already been used in search and rescue operations to investigate difficult-to-reach and hazardous areas. Another team of researchers from Hungary believe these efforts could be improved if robots are able to work in tandem, and have developed an algorithm that allows a number of drones to fly together like a flock of birds. The effectiveness of the algorithm was demonstrated by using it to direct the movements of a flock of nine individual quadcopters.
Source: EurekAlert
