Drones lifting load as a team

The working principle is simple but powerful

The goal of building a stronger drone in this case gave rise to a different idea, using multiple drones thinking and acting as one, because Researchers at Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands develop a new algorithm that allows multiple autonomous drones to cooperate to transport heavy loads, even in adverse conditions such as wind and instability.

The technology was created with real and complex tasks in mind with maintenance of offshore wind turbines, construction in remote areas and operations where human access is difficult or dangerous, the principle is simple but powerful, instead of a single drone trying to lift too much weight, several drones are connected to the same load using cables.

The algorithm does not depend on installed sensors

The algorithm coordinates each drone in real time, adjusting position, force and direction so that the load is not only lifted, but also maintains stable orientation, something essential when working near structures, obstacles or people.

The great challenge, according to the researchers, is not lifting the weight, it is instant coordination, when the load moves unexpectedly or the wind changes, the drones must react in milliseconds, traditional algorithms are too slow for that, to find a solution the team built their own quadcopters and tested the system with up to four drones at the same time, adding obstacles, simulating wind with fans and even using an unstable load.

In all scenarios the system adapted on its own, just indicate the destination and the drones solve everything else, the most impressive detail is that the algorithm does not depend on sensors installed in the cargo, something rare in systems of this type, it manages to compensate external forces only by observing the collective behavior of the drones, this makes the technology more practical for the real world, where installing sensors on each object is not always possible.

Today the tests still use external cameras in the laboratory, but the team is already working to bring the system to open environments with clear applications in rescue, agriculture and remote construction.