Drones can now find their way in the dark

Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have developed a new technology that allows drones to self-position in dark or low-visibility indoor spaces. The system, called MiFly, uses radio frequency waves reflected from a single tag placed in the environment, allowing the drone to determine its location and find its route. HOW DOES IT WORK? Two ready-made radars mounted on the drone determine the location of the device using radio frequency waves bounced off the tag in the environment. These measurements are then combined with data from the drone’s onboard computer, allowing the flying robot to estimate its route. MARGIN OF ERROR IS 7 CENTIMETERS The researchers, who have conducted hundreds of experiments with commercially available drones, emphasize that MiFly consistently does its job with a maximum deviation of 7 centimeters. CHEAPER AND PRACTICAL Since MiFly can provide navigation with a single tag that can be stuck to the wall, it is a cheaper and easier system to implement than other methods that require much more reflectors. In addition, since the tag works by reflecting the signals from the drone instead of generating its own signal, it consumes much less power. IT USES MILLIMETER WAVE SIGNALS The researchers used millimeter wave signals while developing MiFly. Millimeter wave signals, which are widely used in modern radars and 5G communication systems, can pass through materials such as cardboard, plastic, and interior walls, and they work in the dark. In order to distinguish between signals reflected from the tag and signals reflected from other areas in the environment, the team that developed the system configured the special tag they designed in a way that adds a small frequency to the signal it scatters back. While reflections from the environment reach the radar at a single frequency, signals from the tag come back at a different frequency. In this way, the device can distinguish between incoming responses. FLYING ROBOTS THAT FIND THEIR OWN WAY ARE POSSIBLE If the technology developed by MIT is developed further, it could enable the use of autonomous drones that find their own routes, especially in industrial environments such as warehouses and factories. In this way, it will be possible to carry heavy loads long distances and place them in high places without human control.