Watch this cool footage of a swarm of drones navigating through a crowded bamboo forest. The drones, created by researchers at Zhejiang University and Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, are autonomous—they aren't preprogrammed and they aren't being actively flown or guided by anyone.
It's wild how they are able to determine and enact the best flight paths through the forest as they zip along, and it's impressive that they don't hit any trees nor any of the other drones.
Freethink explains what these drones might be used for:
They could search for survivors or deliver supplies in the aftermath of an earthquake or flood; scout the scorching front line of a wildfire; explore ecosystems with minimal human footprint; or, more fantastically, form the basis of air traffic control systems on Mars.
