Tiny autonomous drones are now capable of navigating long distances using a new, insect-inspired technique. Researchers at Delft University of Technology have developed a way for these small robots to follow routes by storing minimal memory. This method, inspired by how insects like ants and bees navigate, allows drones to remember only a few images and their positions.

Insects use two main techniques to travel: path integration, which is similar to keeping track of steps, and view memory, where they remember how the environment looks. Scientists applied these principles to create a navigation system for tiny drones, enabling them to move efficiently with minimal computational power.

The team built a 56-gram drone equipped with a panoramic camera. During its initial flight, the drone takes snapshots of its surroundings. These images are stored in a highly compressed form. When the drone needs to return, it uses odometry (tracking its position based on movement) to get close to the stored locations. The drone then uses the images to correct its position, minimizing any errors.

This approach is very memory efficient. The drone can follow routes up to 100 meters long, using less than 20 bytes of memory per meter. This allows even the smallest drones to navigate autonomously without relying on GPS or other external systems.

This breakthrough could lead to broader applications of tiny autonomous robots, such as monitoring plant health in greenhouses or tracking inventory in warehouses. Future work will focus on enhancing the system's robustness, especially in avoiding obstacles.