Researchers create a drone that becomes almost invisible by spinning 25 times per second - TechSpot

What the report says

TechSpot reported that engineers at Northwestern University have developed Phantom Twist, a prototype drone designed to be difficult to see without using traditional camouflage, transparent skins or advanced light-bending materials. Instead, the aircraft uses rapid rotation to take advantage of motion blur and the limits of human eyesight, turning its body 15 to 25 times per second so that observers perceive much of it as a faint haze rather than a clear object.

The design differs from a standard quadcopter. TechSpot said Phantom Twist uses one motor and propeller, with the propeller spinning one way while the drone’s body rotates the other way. That approach leaves few fixed parts for the eye to focus on. The research team used computational modeling, artificial intelligence and optimization methods to evaluate about 20,000 possible layouts, adjusting the placement of parts such as batteries, electronics, counterweights and the motor.

According to the report, candidate designs were tested in simulations against 100 real-world backgrounds using a perception model intended to approximate human vision. The least noticeable designs were refined into a prototype whose separated components sit at varied angles and heights, reducing the chance that spinning parts visually merge into a solid shape. TechSpot reported that the researchers’ visibility measure rated Phantom Twist as roughly 10 times less perceptible than a comparable quadcopter.

The prototype still has clear limitations: it depends on external optical tracking, has visible structural elements and wiring, and remains audible like other drones. Possible future uses cited in the report include wildlife observation, wetland surveys and infrastructure inspection where visual disturbance matters.