Chinese team creates drones with ‘human brains’ able to tackle complex tasks through group chats

Drone swarms shown to talk, collaborate and split up duties using human language, making it easier for operators to understand the machines’ behaviour

The technology has potential for use in security patrols, rescue operations and aerial logistics and transport, research team says

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Communication strategies for drone swarms are typically designed to simulate bee and ant colonies, but the Chinese team has designed swarms with the ability to talk and collaborate like humans. Photo: Li Xuelong

Published: 9:00am, 6 Nov 2023Updated: 9:56am, 6 Nov 2023

A team of Chinese scientists has developed drones that can engage in “group chats” to discuss and assign tasks among themselves, much like human teams.

The technology could be used to improve security patrols, disaster rescue and aerial logistics, the researchers said.

While communication strategies for drone swarms are typically designed to simulate bee and ant colonies, the Chinese team designed swarms with the ability to talk and collaborate like humans.

Drone group chats also help make the machines’ thinking transparent to humans, allowing researchers to better understand their behaviour.

The technology comes from Li Xuelong and his team at the School of Artificial Intelligence, Optics and Electronics at Northwestern Polytechnical University in Shaanxi province.

The research brings large language models like ChatGPT “to life”, integrating them into practical applications, according to a WeChat post from the university’s official account.

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