These aerial robots aren't just growing more capable. They're learning as they go.
By Clay Dillow Posted 10.01.2012 at 11:58 am 7 Comments

Quadrotors Having a Catch

We never get tired of writing about networked, swarm-like quadrotor drones, mostly because this field--though it currently lacks a killer application--continues to advance at such a rapid pace. We’ve previously seen quadrotors work collectively to build structures and play the James Bond theme, and now researchers at ETH Zurich are teaching them to play catch.

Using a net strung between three quadrotors, the researchers deployed algorithms that not only allow the bots to toss a ball both to themselves and to another team of hovering quadrotors, but also allow them to learn in realtime. When their accuracy fails them, the quadrotors learn from their mistake and adjust their trajectory on the next try. So after a series of failed tosses, the robots eventually compensate to get it right. The machines are learning. See it for yourself in the video below.

[via Mashable]

7 Comments

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Robot
10/01/12 at 1:27 pm

Robots will rule the world!!!! Bra-ha hahaha, ringing and twirling of electromechanical hands...

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Kuja
10/01/12 at 2:36 pm

Hi! My name is Lucas. I am new around here. I am currently doing a degree programing course and i was wondering how does the robot know that he missed? Is it sensor? I am sorry if i spelled wrong but i am still learning english.

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tcolguin
10/02/12 at 12:58 am

Lucas they don't say what sensors they have on the robots so this is a guess, but I believe that each robot has a camera so they use it to track the movement of the ball.

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TeslasDisciple
10/02/12 at 9:48 am

Hey Lucas, wilkomen auf bord. Don't know how the 'rotors would know, but I concur, probably a camera. How else would they be able to catch it unless the ball has a ARPHID inside?

I actually think the project was a waste of time, try making drones that work to gether to pick up, oh i don;t know, I-beams or such? Be much more lucrative and useful.

Get your facts first, then you can distort them as you please.
Mark Twain

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jroach75
10/05/12 at 4:50 am

They've already had them working together to pick up objects. It was pretty much in line with having them fly in formation through different patterns. And your right it would be probably the most used activity for the drones. Anything that uses a crane or helicoptor to pick up and precisely set down objects the drones would be excellent for. But having them learn to do much more complex tasks like this can open them up to many more activities like search and rescue (use a net to catch suicide attempts or to pluck someone out of moving water, firefighting, ballistic interception (not that they'd catch a missle with a net) and dwarf tossing.
P.S - the last one was a tasteless and offensive attempt at humour

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The Science Guy
10/12/12 at 2:29 pm

i wana make these those are so cool!!! blarg ive got egg water at my house.

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QuadcopterHQ
03/06/13 at 12:53 am

Pretty awesome! They're getting so smart... can't wait for this to trickle down into the consumer level drone / quadcopter industry.

www.quadcopterHQ.com



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