How Tiny Drones Inspired by Bats Could Save Lives in Dark and Stormy Conditions

How Tiny Drones Inspired by Bats Could Save Lives in Dark and Stormy Conditions

Students at Worcester Polytechnic Institute are designing small drones that use ultrasonic sensors.

Where Current Drones Can't Go, Ones Inspired by Bats Can

Don't be fooled by the fog machine, spooky lights, and fake bats—the robotics lab at Massachusetts' Worcester Polytechnic Institute lab wasn't hosting a Halloween party. Instead, it's a testing ground for tiny drones that can be deployed in search and rescue missions even in dark, smoky, or stormy conditions,...

Bats inspire WPI researchers to develop drones using echolocation

WPI researchers were inspired by birds and bats, which can navigate in low-visibility terrains filled with obstacles. | Source: Worcester Polytechnic Institute A researcher at Worcester Polytechnic Institute is taking inspiration from bats to develop tiny flying robots for search and rescue. Nitin Sanket, an assistant professor of robotics engineering at WPI, is leading the project. Imagine: a person is missing. The weather is poor. Maybe there’…