Skip to main content

MIT developed an algorithm that will make drones more agile at high speeds

mit drone algorithm high speed dji mavic pro 06
We don’t think we are going out on a limb when we say that autonomous drones are going to be big. But, like the archetypal protagonist at the start of any hero’s quest, they need to learn a few things first.

One such challenge is how to fly quickly while managing to dodge obstacles. The reason this is hard for drones is because their cameras can only process images up to a certain speed since they have to do it frame by frame. Anything faster than 30 mph causes a bit of a headache.

Related Videos

That is where a new research project from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology comes into play. It builds on a technology called the Dynamic Vision Sensor (DVS), invented by researchers in Zurich. The DVS continuously visualizes scenes by looking for changes in brightness. This is similar to the way that the human brain senses visual information and means that it can work at short, microsecond intervals much faster than regular cameras.

The problem is the amount of processing time it requires due to the huge mass of data. By the time an obstacle has been detected and a control outputted, a drone would have already crashed.

MIT’s work represents a step forward. It is an algorithm that is able to isolate very specific changes in brightness, which has the effect of reducing complex scenes to their most essential elements.

“The DVS has had a lot of empirical successes,” lead author Prince Singh, a graduate student in MIT’s Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, told Digital Trends. “However, there [hasn’t previously been] a concrete algorithm that can process the sensor’s ambiguous data to, for instance, control a dynamic system such as a drone. My work addresses the control of any system that has a linearized representation by making sense of the DVS’s ambiguous data. This work unifies the empirical successes observed, and most importantly, one doesn’t need knowledge of the problem’s geometry, as was the case for works until now.”

Singh is currently presenting the work at the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers American Control Conference in Seattle. Next up, the plan is to publish a paper on the work. Hopefully, it won’t be too long after that before drones — and other autonomous robots — can take advantage of this high-speed breakthrough.

Editors' Recommendations

How much storage do you need on your new iPhone 14? Here’s how to decide
The five Apple iPhone 14 colors.

The new iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro are finally available, and Apple is again offering a selection of storage tiers. The big question is just how much storage do you need on your iPhone 14? Similar to last year, the iPhone 14 series lets you choose as little as 128GB and as much as 1TB. This means that if you want to get a new iPhone, you'll need to pick between 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB options. Bigger isn't always better, nor is it always excessive. Only you know how you use your phone, but here's a quick guide to help you pick which iPhone size is the best option for you.

Model
iPhone 14
iPhone 14 Plus
iPhone 14 Pro
iPhone 14 Pro Max

Read more
2024 Chevrolet Equinox EV aims for affordability with $30,000 base price
Front three quarter view of the 2024 Chevrolet Equinox EV.

The 2024 Chevrolet Equinox EV isn’t the General Motors brand’s first electric model, but it might be the most consequential. Chevy has plenty of EV experience, but with the Equinox EV, which is scheduled to go on sale in fall 2023, it’s prioritizing mass-market appeal.

The third electric vehicle unveiled by Chevy this year, following the Silverado EV and Blazer EV, the Equinox EV aims for greater affordability with a targeted starting price of around $30,000. Its compact crossover SUV form factor is also more suited to American tastes than the current Chevy Bolt EV and Bolt EUV.

Read more
HP unveils new IPS Black monitor with one key new feature
A man uses a HP Z32k G3 4K USB-C monitor.

HP has just revealed several new products, and among them, you can find what seems to be a real gem as far as monitors are concerned -- the HP Z32k G3. The monitor is only the second display to utilize the IPS Black technology, and it's the first such display that supports Thunderbolt 4.

Aside from the monitor, the company has also unveiled a brand-new all-in-one desktop, a webcam that offers 4K streaming, a laptop and tablet hybrid device, and improvements to HP Proactive Insights that could have a positive effect on productivity.

Read more