Cat-Like Whiskers Help Tiny Drones Fly in the Dark

Researchers took lessons from nocturnal animals to help rescue drones overcome a key challenge: flying in the dark. A drone that can fit in the palm of your hand navigates using two wire "whiskers." After a disaster like a landslide, an earthquake, or a major fire, rescue workers have to locate survivors as soon as possible, and they are increasingly using drones for this critical task--especially ultra-compact drones that can fit into the crevices of a collapsed structure. There are, however, some serious limitations to the technology. 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.