Flying and rolling drone will map underground mines on its own

A drone that can switch between flying and rolling could soon be exploring underground mines without the aid of a human pilot. In open air, drones can navigate autonomously using GPS, but these satellite signals don't penetrate deep underground, meaning robot spelunkers require human pilots. Ahmed AlNomany and his colleagues at Swedish company Inkonova are working on an alternative. "It's complicated because we are trying to invent another way of positioning using bits and pieces of technologies," says AlNomany. Having a view of its surroundings is the first step.