University of Zurich AI Racing Drone
There’s ion propulsion drones, and then this AI racing drone, developed by University of Zurich researchers. Human drone pilots were invited to the Robotics and Perception Group for a friendly race, with each one getting pit against various AI drones, starting with one using 36 tracking cameras.



The camera is used to capture 400 fps of video, in which the AI drone uses in combination with four tracking markers. This footage is then sent to a vision and navigation system capable of translating it into flight commands. These are then sent to the drone in real-time over a wireless connection. Let’s just say that these AI racing drones aren’t quite ready for the show yet.

DJI FPV Combo (Goggles V2), First-Person View Drone with 4K Camera, S Flight Mode, Super-Wide 150° FOV,...
1,988 Reviews
DJI FPV Combo (Goggles V2), First-Person View Drone with 4K Camera, S Flight Mode, Super-Wide 150° FOV,...
  • IMMERSIVE FLIGHT EXPERIENCE: Feel the thrill of immersive flight provided by the DJI FPV Goggles V2 and DJI FPV’s super-wide 150° FOV, giving you...
  • FAA Remote ID Compliant - DJI FPV complies with the FAA Remote ID rule. Please check the compliance document below to see the user guide for Remote...
  • 4K/60FPS VIDEO: The DJI FPV aircraft can record 4K/60fps video at up to 120 Mbps, capturing crisp details that make footage look as exhilarating as...

This demonstrates that AI-vs.-human drone racing has the potential to revolutionize drone racing as a sport. What’s clear is that superhuman performance with AI drones can be achieved, but there is still a lot of work to be done to robustify these AI systems to bring them from a controlled environment to real-world applications,” said the researchers.

Author

A technology, gadget and video game enthusiast that loves covering the latest industry news. Favorite trade show? Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.