A completely autonomous quadcopter has been designed at the
Vienna University of Technology. All the required computing power is provided
by an off-the-shelf smartphone.
The quadcopter, which was developed at TU Vienna, can
negotiate its way through a room completely on its own. It does not need any
human interference, and in contrast to other models, it is not assisted by any
external computer. All the necessary computing power in on board; the image
processing is done by a standard smartphone.
Autonomous Machines
Quadcopters have become a popular toy for academic research.
The small aircraft, powered by four electrical engines, are perfect for testing
advanced feedback control systems, which make them fly steadily and safely. But
beyond that, quadcopters are also used to test how machines can be made to
perceive their environment and act autonomously.