This new drone comes with 'whiskers' to help it navigate in the dark or smoky and dusty areas like battlefields — and it weighs less than 100g

Whiskers let the drone map spaces without cameras or GPS signals

by · TechRadar

News By Efosa Udinmwen Published 24 September 2026 3 min read

(Image credit: Delft University of Technology)

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  • Two artificial whiskers give this tiny drone a working sense of touch
  • Pressure sensors at the whisker base detect surface contact instantly
  • Onboard software processes tactile data using only 34 kilobytes of memory

A research team from Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands has developed a tiny drone that uses artificial whiskers to navigate where conventional sensors struggle.

The system relies on physical contact rather than cameras or satellite positioning, allowing the aircraft to detect nearby surfaces through touch.

The researchers designed the technology for drones weighing below 100 grams, where adding substantial sensing equipment can quickly consume available capacity.

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Tiny whiskers give the drone another way to sense surroundings

The device carries two slender filaments near its nose, angled upward and connected to miniature pressure sensors underneath.

When either filament touches an object, pressure changes provide information that helps the aircraft estimate its position relative to nearby surfaces.

That information allows the drone to move around obstacles, maintain contact with structures, and construct a basic representation of surrounding spaces.

The approach takes inspiration from rodents and other mammals, which use facial hairs to move through confined environments with limited visibility.

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