Purdue's GPS-free autonomous drone tracks runners through dense forests using on-chip LiDAR AI
KordingLab · x · 2026-10-26
Purdue University's IDEAS Lab built an autonomous drone that tracks runners through dense forests without GPS or cloud networks.
Key points:
- 3D LiDAR mapping and obstacle-avoidance AI run entirely on-chip
- It weaves under tree canopies and predicts target movement through blind spots in real time
The original poster calls it a big deal for next-gen search & rescue and edge AI; the reposter quips it'll help in SAR operations where the lost person ran terrified into the forest to escape their rescuers.
Related event: Purdue Builds GPS-Free Drone That Tracks Runners Through Forests(2 posts)→
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