Scientists at the University of Pennsylvania have successfully coordinated the flight patterns of a number of small quadcopters.
The ‘copters – developed by KMel Robotics – represent a major step towards the mass coordination of robots for military operations, rescue missions and civilian tasks.
It should be noted that General Robotics, Automation, Sensing, and Perception (GRASP) Lab has already demonstrated how quadcopters can cooperatively manipulate objects and even build relatively complex structures.
The latest video showcases the advanced maneuverability of the quadcopters, as they land, take off, hover and fly in a figure-eight pattern – all in flawless sync with one another.
Yes, we’re probably a long way off from the advanced replicators of Stargate SG-1 and Atlantis, but watching this video, one can’t help but think of those futuristic nanobots marching forward in noisy unison.
