Bug-Like Robotic Drones Becoming More Bug-Like, With Bulging Eyes and Tiny, Sensing Hairs

By Clay Dillow Posted 10.03.2011 at 1:20 pm 8 Comments

Big Eyes, Tiny Hairs JJ Harrison via Wikimedia

Micro air vehicles, or MAVs, make for a tantalizing option for intelligence and surveillance agencies looking to surreptitiously gather information or deliver surveillance devices without being seen. But MAVs--usually modeled after small birds or insects-- are notoriously unstable in flight and difficult to maneuver in cluttered environments. So the Pentagon is handing out research contracts to make the DoD’s little robotic bugs more stable by making them more bug-like. Specifically, the DoD wants big bulging bug eyes and hairy wings for its MAVs.

The main problem with MAVs has to do with the way they respond (or don’t respond) to dynamic environments--things like shifting or gusting winds, moving bodies, and other variables that have to be accounted for in realtime. MAVs are tiny, so there’s not a lot of space for computing assets or sensor payloads, and that leads to a sort of intractable problem: how can engineers make these things smaller and more capable while also adding increased situational awareness and better in-flight processing?

When facing a tough problem like this a little biomimicry never hurts, and that’s exactly where the Pentagon is looking with its recent contracts. If two research stipends recently handed down are any indication, the micro-drones of the future may have tiny hair-like sensors all over their bodies and big, compound eyes.

The cilia-like hairs will serve to keep the drones’ hovering and flight stable by sensing changes in air flow at the tiniest levels. That means the drone could sense a wind gust coming shortly before it arrives, allowing it to compensate for the change in circumstance. It would also aid in maintaining overall stability during flight, as the MAVs central processor would possess a constant awareness of--and the ability to manipulate--the boundary flow layer of air surrounding the drone as it hovers and flies.

The bug-like compound eyes would similarly help MAVs navigate in cluttered spaces by increasing the amount of visual data available to the drones’ processors. An on-board minicomputer would process images in realtime, using those visual cues to automatically avoid obstacles and navigate cleanly and efficiently.

[Danger Room]

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8 Comments

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xalar

10/03/11 at 2:01 pm

You need to make them smarter than flies, so they don't go "SPLAT" under the flyswatter.

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10/03/11 at 2:55 pm

Pentagon is handing out research contracts to make Bug Drone Camouflage for the purpose of data acquisition and intelligence.

So, following this concept of us bugging the bad guys; they too will try to bug us back. I feel a new Bug Cold war a brewing!

Now the Pentagon needs to hand out research contracts on Bug Drone Detection with defensive and offensive strategies as well. We need a Anti Bug Counterintelligence Agency!

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B.V.

10/03/11 at 3:09 pm

"That means the drone could sense a wind gust coming shortly before it arrives"

And how the hell would THAT work? Do they plan on creating psychic bug-drones?

---

"Do not offer sympathy to the mentally ill.
Tell them firmly:
I am not paid to listen to this drivel.
You are a terminal boob." - William S. Burroughs

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Blue

10/03/11 at 8:37 pm

Somewhere out in this world is a mother that loves the face in this article! It's kind of amazing! ;)

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TrulyVisionary

10/03/11 at 11:28 pm

The seeker of knowledge who seeks to reach beyond the stars to go where no mans gone before to see things no man has seen and bring these experiences back for the whole world to hear and see.

This seems really bad for the American people we have the most strongest military in the world the only use i see in this is to invade the privacy of American citizens without their knowing because it's a known fact if you have you'll want to use it and when are war ends what else to use a million dollar fake bug for than to rob the American people of their feeling of security this should be banned by the American people because the larger and more powerful our government will become will only make it easier for some dignitary to take control over the American people and then what can you do if you even mention a bad thing about him they will know and kill you .

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drchuck1

10/04/11 at 5:53 am

@B.V.-the micro-sensors would sense micro air movements before they became macro air movements, "And how the hell would THAT work?" That is what they are getting paid to find out.

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B.V.

10/10/11 at 2:29 pm

@drchuck,

"micro" and "macro" air movements?

Do you have any more information on this? Sounds like BS to me...

---

"Do not offer sympathy to the mentally ill.
Tell them firmly:
I am not paid to listen to this drivel.
You are a terminal boob." - William S. Burroughs

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qksilver

10/17/11 at 5:07 am

Hmm... From my life experience... my friends and I would drop all on-going conversations to get rid of any air-borne insects. During which, our conversation are something like: Dude, where'd it go? or I'm gonna get this mo-fo. I wonder if the terrorists do the same.

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