Hungarian Researchers Utilise Animal Movements Data to Develop Autonomous Drone Swarm
Hungarian researchers have successfully created a swarm of 100 autonomous drones that navigate the night sky above Budapest with remarkable coordination. This achievement is the culmination of over a decade of research and experimentation, aiming to revolutionise the future of unmanned flight.
The swarm of drones operates without pre-programming or centralised control, making real-time decisions on collision avoidance and trajectory planning. This remarkable feat is inspired by the collective movements of creatures in the natural world, as highlighted by Boldizsár Balázs, a researcher involved in the project.
The drones' behaviour mirrors natural swarming patterns, showcasing a level of decentralisation that allows them to function independently once given instructions. This innovative approach, developed at the Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest, is based on animal behaviour research, including the flight patterns of pigeons and movements of wild horses.
Gábor Vásárhelyi, a senior researcher at the university, emphasised the drones' ability to communicate with each other, enabling them to navigate through dense aerial traffic autonomously. By leveraging data gathered from observing animal behaviours, the researchers have created an algorithm that ensures safe decision-making, conflict mitigation, and collision avoidance.
While the potential applications of autonomous drones are vast and promising, concerns have been raised regarding their use in military contexts. Researchers Anna Konert and Tomasz Balcerzak from Lazarski University in Warsaw caution that autonomous drones could lead to increased conflict escalation and ethical dilemmas if used for lethal actions.
Despite these concerns, the Hungarian researchers are optimistic about the positive impact of their technology in various fields. Their simulations suggest that the algorithm can support up to 5,000 drones flying autonomously, opening doors for applications in meteorology, land surveying, goods deliveries, and more.
Moreover, the team is exploring agricultural applications for precision crop spraying and envision the technology contributing to the decentralisation of air traffic control systems as unmanned aircraft become more prevalent in the skies.
Hungarian researchers have developed a swarm of 100 autonomous drones inspired by animal movements.
The drones operate independently, making real-time decisions on collision avoidance and trajectory planning.
Concerns have been raised about the military applications of autonomous drones.
Source: AP NEWS