The Future of Flying Robots | Vijay Kumar | TED Talks

At his lab at the University of Pennsylvania, Vijay Kumar and his team have created autonomous aerial robots inspired by honeybees. Their latest breakthrough: Precision Farming, in which swarms of robots map, reconstruct and analyze every plant and piece of fruit in an orchard, providing vital information to farmers that can help improve yields and make water management smarter.
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[@doodelay]

Great engineer and he could not possibly be a better speaker and presenter. This guy is really cool.

[@poran9939]

+doodelay #lol . his speech is very interesting, but this engineering will be appreciated us to invent new instruments in the world

[@aviadean5265]

g

[@FatSongProduction]

+doodelay He is probably a professor.

[@vladimirospeilivanidis8621]

Even his style is on point. Classic with balls.

[@miriambarowicz5825]

They have smaller drones with 3grams of shape charge and camera's

[@zznszz1992]

Thiss video changes my mind about technology in agriculture.

[@ngeshlew]

Vijay Kumar and your team, I just love how you keep making your robots more and more flexible in terms of size and what it can do. I root for your team!!

[@Knightyme]

I think the swarm algorithm would be great added to cars and other vehicles. All cars know what other cars are around them, and can coordinate merging, moving as one from traffic lights, move aside for emergency vehicles, evasive manoeuvres to avoid accidents, and so on. Need to change lanes? Start indicating, and the cars in that lane in front of you go a little faster, and/or behind a little slower, a gap forms and you slot in effortlessly. You are in a turning lane and the traffic lights only allow 3-5 cars with manual driving control before changing. With 'swarm' a block of 7-10 cars that move as one, can get through in the same time. 'Swarm' would be but one aspect that autonomous cars of the future would have I think.

[@sarthakpradhan4929]

Nice idea

[@iamnilaykant]

This is already being researched in self driving cars!

[@mahaboobmd3646]

VIjakumar

[@anilsethi9333]

That's true

[@roiferreach100]

Amazing. I should have watched this 4years ago. I thought drones are just for fun playing, but this opens my mind to a new and fresh perspective.

[@mastervader9796]

Vijay you're awesome sir. Keep up the amazing work.

[@OmariRose1]

Amazing- this is only the beginning!

[@David-un4cs]

This reminds me of the map making robots in Prometheus.

[@MarcusEMunya]

David Patterson Where do you think they got the idea, that movie pushed them in new directions, gave them new ideas, things they never would've!..

[@rakshithhr3528]

David Patterson I was looking for this comment

[@abhishek_physics01]

My thought as well..those 'puppies'😃 !!

[@anujmchitale]

It's the other way dear. The movie got those ideas by communicating with people involved in technology.

[@f.a.s.7796]

Great talk. Clear and innovating ideas.

[@ThatSkyAmber]

Maybe someday we won't need pesticides and each tree has its own little army of protectors :P

[@harlisviikmae6240]

There was a different ted-talk (partially) about shooting down flies with lazers, maybe that could be mounted on the drones.

[@ahmedeldaw2210]

what a nice topic ! this is really useful and life changing

[@argontrax8558]

Very interesting concept - The mapping would be helpful in many areas of our civilization - for example it could be used in city survelliance and check-ups

[@Rumdreg]

+Argontrax Drone hunting would become the new passtime of the "youth"

[@argontrax8558]

Rum Dreg aye - that also would be a very useful application xD

[@AmanKhanTM]

+Argontrax Interestingly, there is an entire South Park episode based on the premise you suggested.

[@argontrax8558]

Aman Khan haha actually i haven't seen that episode

[@AmanKhanTM]

You should!

[@pulkitmadan6381]

To all the people who disliked this video- 8:23

[@zozouzid]

Haha 😂

[@mahaboobmd3646]

vijakumar

[@qps9380]

you smart bro... yes very smart... microwave a potato

[@mr.d2366]

lol😂😂

[@CozyJuffyWuff]

5 min for 1 large potato :]

[@sueo47]

Excellent presentation and concept!

[@AbbashAbid]

Big fan of Dr.Kumar and his "Kumar Lab" of GRASP, Pennsylvania. Thumbs up..:)

[@romiagua2746]

Parabéns. Vocês são demais.

[@David-un4cs]

This could be incredible for guarding places. Swarms of drones could fly around and alert someone if there are people crossing a fence line, breaking into a building, etc. Security Guards could have moving cameras instead of limited and fixed to the wall!

[@W4r10ckm4n]

Except that the battery life on these only allows for around 8-10 minutes of flight. Kinda hard to work with when you're on an 8 hour shift.

[@Belboz99]

Seen Black Mirror yet?

[@sumansansar]

simply wonderful

[@vishalsethi4331]

I think we can also take it next level by applying the swarm concept on nano or cube-satellites along with origami principles for the next revolution in Space Technology.

[@udithkumarv734]

Absolutely brilliant

[@fudanchu8436]

Great work! The promise of cheap helper robots is slowly coming to fruition.

[@TheBHAitken]

If you are using a swarm navigation software for crop production, you would want the software to also interact with the picking robots. The drones would provide repeating navigation verification for the pickers and able to monitor for exterior events.

[@Sushil_raturi]

Thank you sir... India gro in this kind of technology very firstly...

[@tonyrosam]

You could beam the power to little quad drones to save weight if the transmitters are in the right places in a building or field. I thought wireless power could be used for drone swarms within quarter mile radius.

[@seanzjk916]

This needs more views

[@newayyifru377]

amazing engineering

[@jeffbingaman2754]

This is needed in large hydro/aquaponic growing operations.

[@TheTrumanZoo]

this must be combined as a device on all drones, to create a virtual world map that drones can share and use for obstacle avoidance, a live built map worked on by all drones in an area refreshing and updating live, when objects are moved they update the virtual world map.

[@samha1513]

Great talk by Vijay Kumar but still wondering when will TED talk?

[@rachanamuralinarayanan8484]

This guy is amazing!

[@chas-ls4rs]

Very nice, and potentially very, very important in aiding computer simulation softwares.

[@OculusQuestFun]

Outstanding Presentation. I can buy gyro copters that fly for a duration of between 8 to 24 minutes. Can I expect the same lackluster flight duration from these drones?

[@maxkeif4420]

I'll be impressed when the communication sensors on these drones are advanced enough to send a swarm of them into a large cave and have them map out all the different tunnels and dead ends while staying in contact with each other to be able to regroup if need be. That or a similarly difficult task, such as mapping a mine for a corporation or mapping enemy tunnel systems (could be used by military as well as law enforcement in mexico etc), or even large subterranean structures (enemy underground base, forward position, etc).

[@Kreadus005]

This is really interesting. Though the problem is scaling it for acres and dealing with wind speeds. Grain crops for example. There are a lot of competing implementations, some even including stereophotogrammetry, but what can be inferred from the data is still somewhat sketchy. I just wish the things could fly lower, legally, and get better resolution.

[@-.._.-_...-_.._-..__..._.-.-.-]

Do you know how valuable swarm intelligence would be to the military? I think Tommy Boy highlighted one of the advantages best by saying, "Your firearms are useless against them!"

[@catnekokotyonok5180]

It reminds me of this short film : kzbin.info/www/bejne/b5fEap-MrK17p8k

[@choffmanne]

this is exactly what I'm working for :D cheers!

[@guoweini7641]

Me too:D

[@dharitreesamantaray985]

How can we implement localisation technology

[@Superme995]

This is so amazing, yet terrifying at the same time.

[@EvanRustMakes]

just like your mom

[@76hbandi]

Great Work 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉❤❤🎉❤

[@MamunulMazid]

Is this done by depth camera like iPhonex, I am very much interested to work like this project, Professor I am your fan.

[@Cryptotalkswithram]

this is amazing

[@4647540]

Amazing..

[@junaidkhankhiljy7778]

great work

[@WhiteDragon689]

The control systems already exist. I wonder how far have it been scaled up into large scale transportation such as in military transport airships?

[@matheuscardoso1]

FUCKING AMAZING. Such mapping technologies were only real in sci fi movies until now. Thank you for your great work.

[@narayantx]

Fantastic!

[@abdullahalmasud91]

8:30 just I say Amazing !!

[@Ninguempensonesse]

I want the articles that he cited,... please send the links.

[@beemerwt4185]

Wow that's quite amazing. It may not seem like much, but just think about the numbers on their current scale: if the yield is enough to support 6 billion people, then increasing it by 10% would effectively make it capable of supporting 6.6 billion people. It's not everyone, but it's still better than before. And that's only the yield part, imagine if we can save water by doing this, we could have more farms. There is really a lot to be excited about here!

[@ta6739]

Amazing

[@afanofayu]

Awsome !

[@Destro7000]

I like this drone revolution we're going through. I wonder if you could sit at a picnic table in the summer and with voice ask your drone to go pick you a really specific apple you saw earlier. It could pick that one and you could go and check it was that exact one that was picked. Maybe it could go into your house and bring you your keys once it's mapped where the front door is, the interiors and a few places you normally keep them. Maybe a swarm of about 6 of them could scoot around the house at a set time each day feeding your pets while you're away on holiday and reporting back to you on Twitter so you know if they've done it or if they ran out of battery or failed. (If no report, phone a neighbour to continue?) This video makes this stuff seem more 'near-future' than far future.

[@cataegisira1663]

Does anyone know what the app is called, how to find it, or even if it's available? I'd like to play with this.

[@xDMrGarrison]

The nerds will save the world, all hail the nerds!!

[@dannysasser6892]

Why thank you

[@LaughLounge11]

well, they r the ones who started chaos.

[@Alex_1729]

I remember seeing similar concept in a movie, I think it's called Prometheus, where people release some kind of balls which scan the corridors of caves, and then maps it. I remembered it as something really important, and fun to see. Good to see we're getting there.

[@AmrushPrence]

+Micic00 I was thinking the same thing :)

[@Alex_1729]

Amrush Prence Exact scene?

[@thegreatone2909]

It was one of the geo engineers he let a few of them loose and they transmit a holographic image back to the ship

[@Alex_1729]

The GreatOne It looks so useful and important that I think something like that will definitely be a reality in a few years

[@azimalif266]

hey, that scanning technology is like the cave scanning in the Prometheus movie.

[@the_number_one]

Nice that you noted

[@TrentTube]

I believe it's called lydar.

[@azimalif266]

@@TrentTube or could be a 360 camera. With a live stitching algorithm.

[@Piemesan]

The tiny drones are so cute

[@EvanRustMakes]

that will cost you $4000 please

[@strykerten560]

+havingMC Dont worry, next year it will be 2000, then 1000, then suddenly kids will be shocked that their parents ever lived in a world where everyone didnt have tiny drones

[@nguyentiendung5355]

Great.!

[@ReyMundoPH]

"I see you've met my fleet of aerial assault robots" - Broken Matt Hardy 2016

[@blue280485]

Great video! Very well explained.. DRONE TOURISM could be another area where one may be able to make money with Drones, one could get permit from the city/county to fly drone around a historical monument or something like that (for e.g. Statue of Liberty in NYC), then let tourist enjoy the flight wearing VR Headset, they get an immersive FPV experience & feel as if they are really flying! along with this the Operator may offer to take 'Dronies (Drone Selfies: photos + videos)' for the tourists and give it to them on a memory card, so that tourist may share it on there social media. Drone Operator may charge per flight/person or offer a package (FPV + Dronies). Wouldn't it be better than hiring a helicopter.. City/county can earn revenue from issuing monthly/quarterly 'Tourist Site Permits (TSP)' to drone operators and this would be a great way to generate employment opportunity for the City/County. Permit issue process may be automated on the lines of 'FAA Drone Registration' process via dedicated website or app. The drone operators can make money and be self-employed, with secured business, as the tourist footfalls are assured and they don't have to do any marketing to find business. Drone Operators can start with entry level drones that are suitable for this type of work and upgrade as an when there earnings increase. What are your thoughts about this idea? Keep up the good work.. Thanks

[@bugsdonttakefalldamage]

This is really cool

[@TheSqoou]

1:52 So? Which is it? Is it one problem, or the first?

[@astroram4613]

Aren't they using lidar for mapping those orchids ?

[@namanjain3758]

Can anyone tell me the name of the software being used at 1:30

[@rvkentertainment7762]

Genius... Better than the best...

[@OTHERVERSETCG]

Good video. Question: Does this video provide support to agricultural reform? Yes. Does this video detract from focus and action taking on real solutions for positive agricultural and environmental change? Answer: Yes.

[@ErKobo]

Someone could tell me what I should study for getting involved on that? Software engineering, aerospace engineering, computing science.... Thanks

[@matthewtelford7737]

+Cobo Computer engineering.. possibly electrical. my my houses mate is third year comp eng he writes image recognition for mapping out a room for is labs. electrical engineering would also apply for mechatronics and robotics... aerospace engineering is not as important. the algorithms involved are the HARDEST part of image recognition. computer engineering (software engineering as you say) is the most valuable in this field

[@ErKobo]

+Matthew Telford Thanks you a lot for this great information and help. I think that the most I like are the algorthim involved , so probably I will take that path. Thanks you again!

[@MohsenMousawi]

what the drones use to communicate and sense each other's?

[@marcosbomfim4691]

Como faz pra me representar aqui no Brasil ?

[@TheRickerX]

Fifield would sure love these puppies!

[@cs9812]

Genial!

[@rajmahesh9]

I really appreciate that. There is lot of hard work behind the scenes. But, may I ask a basic question about how harm is the electromagnetic energy generated by these robots or drones. Is there any measure ?? Can we justify by any means ?? Is this not a real harm to the other living species like birds those usually live around the farms ?? Sorry for my ignorance, but I am really concerned about it.

[@Butterworthy]

I for one welcome our new flying robot overlords.

[@anarchytelevision8445]

Butterworthy be careful what you ask for

[@halo91]

Thank you for not putting stingers or small tasers on any of them when you said swarm I was thinking of jellyfish or bees.

[@hanzhang2700]

so cool

[@jaykrish7613]

i wonder if the swarm algorithm is or will be open sourced

[@Alphfirm]

Cool!

[@MrC0MPUT3R]

Guys... the future is here.

[@MrC0MPUT3R]

Aragniphobia *some things

[@MrC0MPUT3R]

Aragniphobia They also give you longer life and the ability to do more with that life.

[@MrC0MPUT3R]

Aragniphobia So what happens if you're wrong?

[@MrC0MPUT3R]

Aragniphobia Possibility of a god is 50/50. Top kek m8

[@luisbaltazar1]

if the future is here, then where's what's coming next located?

[@SaliamonXP]

UN admits that world food shortage problem cannot be solved trough technical means (agricultural improvements). That is so because people are starving not because there are no food, but because all the food goes to developed countries. the problem is in how we share all the food that is grown.

[@SaltVinegar2010]

+thewanderandhiscomp Or floating farms on the sea.

[@dermihai]

+SaliamonXP educate the poor countries and invest into them. improving the living standards will indirectly limit the population growth.

[@SaliamonXP]

+Allister Quinn economy is means of distributing stuff aka a certain way of sharing stuff

[@SaliamonXP]

+BoomBap Snic population is under control now. Peak child has been passed. But more importantly population is not the problem here.

[@SaliamonXP]

+Allister Quinn Yes and that is the problem, and that is why we need to find a way to share! ;)

[@manmeetsingh7834]

Are they using Lidar sensors ??

[@adityaanandiitb5302]

Ted I want one of your drone please !!!!

[@devinhales]

thats cool

[@quackcement]

10% doesn't sound like much for costs involved

[@kumargaurav9605]

sir m very much intersted in making flying machine can anyone please help me getting me the course material for making flying machines

[@elsayedmohamed9706]

Name of the app!!!

[@refuse2conform]

7:00 reminds me of Big Hero 6

[@pawanprabhatinewlovesong2018]

Sir burning leaser light properties

[@enriquegarcia7613]

this reminds me that episode of black mirror... the bees one...

[@A92_]

lol when is see these, my mind goes straight to military usage.

[@reptilespantoso]

judging from the responses to this youtube, a lot of people are very much asleep. :-(

[@joisarrithesmall298]

reptilespantoso do you know why all wars are brutal? Because people die. What’s wrong with robots that fight wars for you?!

[@bekazandukeli7451]

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Laws_of_Robotics

[@joisarrithesmall298]

Beka_xD except people would not be harmed if the battlefield was full of only robots

[@user-nb4ol3vl1x]

It's so dangerous

[@konakandlagopisumanth4491]

What are the red lights in the room at 8:32

[@nikhilsingh6759]

tracking cameras that actually map the environmet

[@oakstream6041]

Im not saying its aliens but its aliens. Haha

[@HenryChinaski2000]

What companies make these robots?

[@EvanRustMakes]

skynet Inc.

[@strykerten560]

+havingMC You know, theres actually a real company called cyberdyne (the company that made skynet in the movie). They make some of the worlds most advanced robotics, including the HAL exoskeleton. No, I am not making this up. They have a great sense of humour

[@Adlore]

many make drones, in fact they're not hard to make, or expensive (relatively) at all. With that said the mapping technology of the drone in the vid is not something I've seen before.

[@EasyCircuits]

GPS and lidar mapping are totally different things, and he is comparing those.

[@tdmssoares]

Did Terminator movie make a good. prediction of the future?

[@shopnil21]

8:23 My middle finger🤣🤣🤣

[@robert2h7]

"Now there's one problem with robots like this. The first problem is.... The second problem is..." Good talk though.

[@David-un4cs]

At least if all the bees eventually die we'll be able to make artificial bees...

[@dammadsk8er]

Black mirror already did that

[@kikokoko6760]

U cant

[@scottscratcher1220]

Dan D they did a U.V. tried to play God and made love bugs to eat mosquitoes and failed so they only eat the paint off your car or vehicles ect.

[@TrentTube]

Not close, yet. Turns out flowers require quite a lot of precision.

[@captaincaption]

If all the bees die, we will eventually die too.

[@TheGader125]

They can take real life locations and turn it into video games map by this technology.

[@lucamantova3070]

Thing is it's illegal... think about terrorists...

[@91722854]

the dream of what GTA should be

[@eastereggs3168]

creative idea, who would have thought of that?

[@joisarrithesmall298]

Mark Kent so what? Google maps does the same thing?

[@jhonprice3786]

draganfly is undoubtedly the best drone company! It is providing support in ukraine by supplying ukrainian people with medicines, insulin and much more. with this it is increasing its visibility and brand awareness. has an experienced team and unique technology, currently very underestimated based on its potential!

[@bestcakesdesign]

How much is it cost?