Cat-Like Whiskers Help Tiny Drones Fly in the Dark

Weighing less than a stick of butter, ultra-compact drones don’t have as much compute or power capacity as larger models, and this restricts the power of their sensors. That means if a building is filled with smoke or the disaster happens at night, the drone’s cameras and lidar will cease to function. Even a clear pane of glass can be an obstacle the drone might not sense.

Now, a research team at Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands—drawing inspiration…