A drone fitted with its own "nervous system" could stay in the sky longer, thanks to tests by scientists.
Experts at the University of Southampton have created this system from optical fibres, which they say will reduce the need for the drone to land for inspections.
This innovation aims to make cargo-carrying drones more efficient, as they usually have to make frequent stops for manual safety checks, which can increase costs.
The optical fibre system continuously monitors the structural health of the drone in a way similar to human nerves.
It uses a technique called optical speckle, which displays different images based on what the fibre "nervous system" detects.
These images can be analysed using artificial intelligence to check the drone's condition, according to project leader Dr Chris Holmes.
Dr Holmes said: “This is a kind of nervous system for drones.
"It sends back real-time information using light – rather than electricity – which avoids problems that electronic systems have with interference from radio frequencies.
"This speckle system keeps track of the stresses and strains on the drone, helping ground crews spot issues early without needing to land the drone as often for inspections.
"There’s lots of commercial potential for this technology, and we’re aiming for commercialisation by 2025."
Southampton scientist Dr Martynas Beresna said: "This system not only reduces the burden on ground crews but also ensures that drones can operate more safely and efficiently."
PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) predicts the drone industry could contribute up to £45 billion across various sectors by 2030.
The new system has already been tested on a drone developed by undergraduate students at the university.
Toby King-Cline, 23, an aerospace engineering graduate who led the student team, said the technology could transform drone usage in many sectors.
The University of Southampton team hopes this technology will make future drones more reliable and cost-effective.
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