this post was submitted on 18 Aug 2026
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99
Researchers show off tiny, completely silent drones powered by sound (actu.epfl.ch)
submitted 5 days ago by artifex@piefed.zip to c/technology@lemmy.world
23 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

Researchers have figured out how make shaped drone rotors that convert audible and ultrasound frequencies into stable mechanical spinning motion, leading to tiny drones that can be completely silent. While scary-sounding (no pun intended) it's unclear how usable these would be in the real world, since a line-of-sight source of sound waves has to be provided.

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[–] deadbeef79000@lemmy.nz 21 points 5 days ago (4 children)

"silent"

"powered by sound waves"

Pick one.

[–] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world 15 points 5 days ago (1 children)

You claim that your kite operates without making any noise, and yet it is powered by wind, which is quite noisy.

[–] deadbeef79000@lemmy.nz 6 points 5 days ago

Kites are noisy.

flap flap flap...

Humming string etc.

[–] HubertManne@piefed.social 10 points 5 days ago

there is sound we can't hear. there is also light we can't see.

[–] Redfox8@mander.xyz 8 points 5 days ago

They're powered by sound from other sources but don't create sound themselves...no?

[–] SkybreakerEngineer@lemmy.world 5 points 5 days ago (1 children)

Of course it's silent. It's doubtful our sonar would pick it up, and if it did, it would sound like whales humping, or some kind of seismic anomaly

[–] deadbeef79000@lemmy.nz 2 points 5 days ago

But does it always turn left in the bottom half of the hour?