And it’s hardly the first time the Pentagon’s expressed interest in applying the talents of the animal kingdom to unmanned air travel. They’ve already invested in research to create handheld drones that mimic the “echolocation” abilities of bats and mini-drones inspired by hummingbirds.

Now, researchers led by a team at the University of Washington have received a five-year, $7.5 million grant from the Office of Naval Research, to evaluate other animal features that would make for better autonomous aerial vehicles. One major focus of the project will be to eliminate or minimize the need for a human operator, whose own instincts aren’t always enough to guide rapid travel.

“For vehicles operating at high speeds in highly complex and dynamic environments (like windy forests for example), a wireless connection back to a human operator might not be fast enough to keep the vehicle from crashing or allow it to be as maneuverable as it could be,” UW researcher Kristi Morgansan tells Danger Room.

Morgansan imagines that drones of the future might have features like “flapping wings, flexible surfaces, and sensors that are lighter, lower power and use less energy…than what is used currently in engineered systems.” By accumulating data from flight studies, researchers will create mathematical models that are transferable to engineered systems.

Her own team is zeroing in on underwater movement patterns. Studying a school of robotic fish, they’re looking to develop bio-inspired propeller replacements, that would offer less drag and better maneuverability at low speeds, and use less power.

“We also study how schooling fish interact with one another in various settings,” she says, “to come up with more effective ways of operating groups of underwater vehicles for tasks such as tracking, searching [and] map-building.”

Combined, the consortium’s work could also give drones the skills to sense obstacles and travel safely even in tough weather. Other researchers are investigating how moths detect and respond to their surroundings, and how bees adapt to fly in windy conditions.

Photo: National Marine Sanctuary

See Also:

• Bug Eyes, Bat Ears for Mini-Drones
• Video: Pentagon’s Robo-Hummingbird Flies Like the Real Thing …
• F-16’s Dangerous Spider Sense
• Bat Senses Could Help Mini-Drones in Urban Combat
• Flying Shark-Bot Takes Off
• Video: Dragonfly Drones in Flight

Authors: Katie Drummond

to know more click here