Watch: MIT’s Drones That Fly and Drive

MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab demonstrated its prototype for an urban transportation network using drones that switch between driving and flying to maximize battery life, speed, and efficiency. The demo had a scaled-down model of a city block with eight quadcopter drones seamlessly navigating from one point to another. MIT imagines a full network can theoretically work with 80 vehicles. The drones draw inspiration from animals, which transition from low-energy walking to agile flight to avoid obstacles and predators.

Related Links:

• TechCrunch Article: https://techcrunch.com/2017/06/26/mits-new-drones-switch-between-flying-and-driving-for-optimal-urban-transport/?ncid=mobilenavtrend
• ScienceDaily Article: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/06/170626124344.htm
• Wired Article: https://www.wired.com/story/mit-drones-flying-cars/
• CNET Article: https://www.cnet.com/news/mit-wheeled-flying-driving-drones-cars-robots/