There's plenty to be scared of in 2018. If nightmares of being chased down by Boston Dynamics' robot dogs weren't enough, here's a new fresh horror: robot dragons. Scientists from the University of Tokyo synced four thrusters together to create a serpentine, floating aircraft called DRAGON. The acronym stands for Dual-rotor embedded multilink Robot with the Ability of multi-deGree-of-freedom aerial transfromatiON, according to IEEE Spectrum. The aircraft actually solves a bunch of problems facing modern drones: It can be small enough to fly straight through tight spaces, but also has the ability to transform into shapes capable of carrying cargo.

Roboticists from the University of Tokyo's JSK Lab have created a flying robot they call DRAGON, an acronym for Dual-rotor embedded multilink Robot with the Ability of multi-deGree-of-freedom aerial transformatiON. A recent report by IEEE Spectrum includes a video highlighting the bot's ability to change its shape mid-flight in order to navigate through tight spaces. DRAGON comprises four modules, each boasting a pair of maneuverable fan thrusters. Battery-powered hinged joints link these modules. An Intel Euclid serves as both the eyes and the brain of DRAGON, letting the flying robot "see" the world around it and autonomously decide what shape it needs to assume to fit through a given area.