Drone News and Research

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Shield AI Achieves Breakthrough As Hivemind Autonomously Flies Navy BQM-177A Drone

Shield AI’s Hivemind autonomy software successfully flew the BQM-177A target drone in a U.S. Navy test, marking a milestone for beyond-visual-range missions. The demonstration advanced manned-unmanned teaming and reinforced the role of AI in future combat strategies.

23 Sep 2025

MoBluRF Breakthrough Enables Sharp 3D Reconstructions From Blurry Videos Using NeRF

Researchers in Korea have developed MoBluRF, a two-stage deblurring framework that enables sharp 3D scene reconstruction from blurry monocular videos. This innovation advances NeRF technology by separating camera and object motion, achieving crisp novel view synthesis even from casual handheld footage.

21 Sep 2025

NSF-Backed Research Builds Safer AI Systems for Life-Saving Missions

A Wake Forest University researcher is developing robust multi-agent reinforcement learning (MARL) algorithms to ensure AI systems can function safely even when individual agents fail. Backed by an NSF CAREER award, her work will enhance AI reliability in high-stakes settings like healthcare, disaster response, and environmental protection.

16 Sep 2025

New AI Technique Powers Smarter, Offline Systems Without the Cloud

Kennesaw State University researcher Bobin Deng is developing an AI method that enables powerful models to run directly on personal devices without internet access. By using activation sparsity to predict which data will be needed, his approach reduces energy, memory use, and reliance on cloud computing.

11 Sep 2025

AI And Drone Imaging Predict Wheat Yields With Unmatched Accuracy

This study developed a transformer-based AI model using UAV multispectral and RGB imaging to predict wheat yields with unprecedented accuracy. The approach allows non-destructive, cost-effective, and early identification of high-yield lines, speeding up breeding for climate-resilient wheat.

9 Sep 2025

AI-Guided Drones Track Wildfire Smoke to Improve Air Quality Predictions

University of Minnesota researchers have developed AI-powered aerial robots that track wildfire smoke plumes in 3D, enabling real-time, high-resolution data collection. This innovation could vastly improve air quality modeling and early hazard response across a range of environmental threats.

3 Sep 2025

Experts Say AI Now Meets Criteria for Free Will and Moral Agency

A new study by Frank Martela in AI and Ethics argues that advanced generative AI agents meet all three philosophical conditions of free will, raising the prospect of AI moral responsibility. As AI autonomy increases, urgent ethical questions emerge regarding how developers 'parent' and program these systems.

26 May 2025

AI System Boosts Drone Accuracy in Life-Saving Search and Rescue Missions

A new AI-driven drone detection system revolutionizes search and rescue operations by precisely identifying individuals in challenging environments, including dense forests and disaster zones, utilizing both visible and infrared imagery to overcome obstacles such as poor lighting, occlusion, and scale variation.

22 Apr 2025

AI Breakthrough Transforms How Machines Understand Space and Direction

Researchers at Soochow University have developed the DPEC model, which significantly outperforms previous AI systems in extracting spatial relationships from text. This breakthrough enhances natural language understanding crucial to autonomous navigation and mapping technologies.

18 Apr 2025

AI-Powered Digital Twins Can Now Think, Learn, and Act in Real Time

Scientists have developed an AI-powered Intelligent Acting Digital Twin (IADT) that can autonomously control real-world machines in real-time, marking a shift from passive monitoring to active decision-making.

17 Mar 2025

Generative AI Transforms Tunnel Safety With Smart Inspections and Autonomous Drones

Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology has developed generative AI-powered inspection technology that creates synthetic images of tunnel damage to address data scarcity and enhance safety inspections. Integrated with autonomous drones, this innovation enables precise, efficient tunnel inspections without relying on large datasets.

12 Mar 2025

MIT Engineers Develop Scalable Safety System for Drones and Multiagent Robots

MIT engineers have developed a training method for multiagent systems, enabling drones to safely operate in crowded environments. Their approach allows small-scale safety training to scale up, ensuring collision-free operations for thousands of autonomous agents.

3 Feb 2025

Redefining Drone Artistry: SwarmGPT-Primitive Brings Music to Life with AI

Researchers in Canada and Germany have developed a groundbreaking framework that combines AI's power with mathematical precision, enabling non-experts to craft mesmerizing drone performances synced to music.

1 Jan 2025

Machine Learning Model Enhances Drone Formation Stability and Accuracy

Researchers developed a machine learning model using CatBoost to predict disturbances in drone formations with an R² of 83.3%, significantly improving from the previous baseline of 54%. The SHAP method was applied for better model explainability, aiding UAV operators in minimizing disruptions.

2 Oct 2024

NN Framework Secures Robot Stability with Lyapunov Control

This research introduces a framework for verifying Lyapunov-stable neural network controllers, advancing robot safety in dynamic, sensor-driven environments.

23 Aug 2024

Reviewing Drone Imagery for Infrastructure

A systematic tertiary study analyzed 57 secondary studies from 2018 to 2023 on using drone imagery for infrastructure management. The research identified key application areas, assessed trends, and highlighted challenges, providing a valuable reference for researchers and practitioners in the field.

7 Aug 2024

LLMs Enhance Robotic Anomaly Detection

Researchers presented a two-stage framework utilizing large language models (LLMs) for detecting and addressing anomalies in robotic systems. The fast anomaly classifier operates in an LLM embedding space, while a slower reasoning system ensures safe, trustworthy operation of dynamic robots, mitigating computational costs and enhancing control frameworks.

17 Jul 2024

ORACLE: Enhancing Wildlife Surveillance with Drones

Researchers developed ORACLE, an advanced computer vision model utilizing YOLO architecture for automated bird detection and tracking from drone footage. Achieving a 91.89% mean average precision, ORACLE significantly enhances wildlife conservation by accurately identifying and monitoring avian species in dynamic environments.

20 Jun 2024

Computer Vision for Aircraft Attitude Estimation

Researchers have developed a markerless computer vision method to measure aircraft model attitudes during dynamic wind tunnel testing, providing accurate estimations without altering aerodynamic properties. This novel technique, validated through simulations and real-world data, significantly improves accuracy over traditional methods and offers versatility for various aircraft designs and applications.

20 Jun 2024

Blockchain and Drones: A Decentralized Revolution

Integrating blockchain with the Internet of Drones (IoD) promises enhanced security, connectivity, and efficiency in drone applications like delivery, surveillance, and rescue operations.

27 May 2024