When search and rescue efforts get difficult, call in the bat-inspired drones! The Associated Press published an article and video about research from the lab of Robotics Engineering Department Assistant Professor Nitin Sanket. His team is creating tiny aerial robots designed to navigate through darkness, smoke, dust, and fog using the power of sound, just like bats do, to fly in low visibility. The goal is to improve search and rescue to save lives. The Associated Press article was republished by other news outlets including ABC News, Daily Mail, Washington Post, and Yahoo! News. The research was also covered by CBS News Radio, NPR, NBC Boston, and CBS Boston. Several other media organizations, including WBUR, TechCrunch, Telegram & Gazette, DroneLife, The Robot Report, and the HELLO FUTURE with Kevin Cirilli podcast also interviewed Sanket and produced their own reports on the National Science Foundation-funded project.

With bee populations under threat, robotics engineering professor Nitin Sanket is exploring the use of a drone to keep pollination going.