Drones Take to the Trees: Scientists Develop New Tool for Rainforest Research

Associate professor Salua Hamaza and her team at TU Delft are developing AI-equipped drones with specialized features like a claw mechanism and tactile senses to collect bioacoustic data in rainforests. Designed to overcome the limitations of human researchers, these drones aim to improve biodiversity studies, and their potential applications extend to rescue missions and space exploration. Current challenges in their development include battery life and stability, but the hope is that these drones will revolutionize ecological and extraterrestrial research.