Ammon News - Chinese researchers have allegedly developed a new algorithm that lets first-person-view (FPV) drones perform autonomous aerobatic manoeuvres better than those by veteran human operators during flight missions.

Inspired by sparrowhawks, falcons, and bats, the new artificial intelligence (AI) upgrade can facilitate high-speed, high-risk movements that usually only the most skilled human pilots can execute.

Traditionally, FPV drone performance has been improved by upgrading hardware (stronger motors, better sensors). However, with the latest attempt, scientists instead focused on smarter software, using advanced motion planning and decision-making algorithms to unlock next-level performance.

“This biological wisdom—transforming ‘high-risk manoeuvres’ into ‘high-survival rewards’—holds the key to redefining traditional drone flight paradigms,” said Gao Fei, an associate professor at Zhejiang University and one of the scientists associated with the project, while speaking to the South China Morning Post.