Flyfire: swarm bots to create huge airspace displays

MIT is looking to launch swarms of robotic LED-equipped micro-helicopters, they call Firefly and coordinate them synchronously to create massive free floating 2D or 3D displays in which each bot serves as a single pixel. Each bot is to be endowed with enough smarts and positional awareness to organize themselves into an airborne canvas.

The Flyfire canvas can transform itself from one shape to another or morph a two-dimensional photographic image into an articulated shape. The pixels are physically engaged in transitioning images from one state to another, which allows the Flyfire canvas to demonstrate a spatially animated viewing experience.

If they succeed in doing this, its likely Flyfire may only be practical within large indoor stadiums, since its almost impossible to maintain a stationary position in the open air by even the most successful hover piloting let alone thousands of almost weightless helicopter robots ? Or just how would they cope in almost any change in the atmosphere ?

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