This new drone comes with 'whiskers' to help it navigate in the dark or smoky and dusty areas like battlefields — and it weighs less than 100g
Delft University researchers built a lightweight drone that uses whisker sensors and minimal software to navigate through darkness and smoke.
Tiny drones, weighing under 100 grams, now feature artificial whiskers to aid navigation in challenging environments such as battlefields, smoke-filled areas, or dusty locations. Researchers from Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands developed a system that uses pressure sensors at the base of two slender filaments near the drone's nose to detect physical contact with surfaces.
The onboard software processes the resulting tactile data using only 34 kilobytes of memory, making the system incredibly lightweight and energy-efficient. The technology draws inspiration from animals like rodents that use facial hairs for navigation in low-visibility environments. Despite the challenge of airflow affecting whisker readings, the researchers created a lightweight processing program that distinguishes genuine surface contact from turbulence in real-time.
This compact whisker-processing system occupies just 34 kilobytes of memory, allowing the drone to interpret environmental information without relying on external processing. The drone's ability to sense surroundings through touch can be particularly valuable in environments with smoke, dust, darkness, or damaged infrastructure that could interfere with traditional optical equipment.
Potential applications include assisting in rescue operations in collapsed buildings, where the drone can enter restricted spaces ahead of human responders and gather information about nearby structures and possible pathways.
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