Fly Behavior Inspires Drone Detection of Chemical Leaks

In a recent study published online, Assistant Professor Floris van Breugel and Postdoctoral Researcher S. David Stupski from the University of Nevada, Reno have made a significant discovery regarding the behavior of flies when tracking chemical odors in still air. This finding could have implications for improving the capabilities of robots and drones in detecting chemical leaks, which is crucial for public safety.

Van Breugel highlighted the current lack of robotic systems capable of efficiently tracking odor or chemical plumes in the air. Insects, on the other hand, excel at this task. By understanding how insects navigate chemical plumes, researchers hope to train drones to use similar strategies to locate the source of chemicals and potential leaks.

A major obstacle in studying how insects track chemical plumes is the inability to manipulate wind and odors independently. To overcome this challenge, van Breugel and Stupski employed a novel approach using optogenetics to remotely control the "smell" neurons on the antennae of flying fruit flies. This innovative method allowed for precise experiments to be conducted under different wind conditions.

The experiments aimed to unravel how flies locate odors in the absence of wind, simulating a scenario where a fly searches for food in a still environment. Van Breugel explained that flies rely on environmental cues and wind direction to find their food sources. In the presence of wind, flies exhibit a "cast and surge" behavior, moving into the wind when they detect a chemical plume and casting side to side when the scent is lost.

Interestingly, the researchers discovered a new behavior termed "sink and circle," where flies lower their altitude and perform repetitive, rapid turns in a consistent direction. This innate movement is executed consistently and more frequently than the previously known cast-and-surge behavior. Van Breugel emphasized that this finding demonstrates flies' ability to assess wind conditions before deploying a suitable strategy.