MIT develops software that lets anyone design their own drones

Even with the proliferation of all kinds of drones following a boom in popularity of the products, some are not convinced that everyone can get exactly the drone they want and need. Fortunately, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory has developed a system that allows people to design their own custom drones. Through this software, users can change nearly every aspect of a drone including the size, shape and number of rotors. It will also ensure that users are creating something that can fly by accounting for important elements like balance.

Researchers have already put together unique drones using this new system to demonstrate its capability. Their designs include a rabbit-shaped "bunnycopter" and a five-rotor "pentacopter."

The developers hope that allowing anyone to make their own reliable drone designs can help people get just the right capability they need. More rotors can help drones lift more weight, for example. However, most probably do not know how to keep the balance just right so the drone can take off and stay in the air. This software takes care of that so users can focus on the design elements that are important to them. The paper based on this research was presented at the SIGGRAPH conference in Macau.

This kind of software could have big implications for the drone industry. It could allow makers and buyers quickly react to consumers' wants and needs. New designs could easily come and go, although large companies like DJI with their massive R&D budgets will remain on the cutting edge and continue to push the industry forward.