Drones are cheap, common, and easy to fly, but have you ever wondered how they fly and what they could accomplish if multiple drones worked together? They could be used to map complex spaces, replace dangerous fireworks, or fertilize large areas all at once. In this semilab, we will start with the basics of drone control and autonomous flight, eventually progressing through swarm dynamics. We will cover some basic control systems, and each student will have to implement a control system for their drone. Then, we will move on to autonomous flight, starting with one drone, increasing the number of drones we control each day. Students will test their code in simulations and on real drones. By the end of this semilab, each student will program and test their own light show using 10 drones.
Prerequisites: Python experience is required.