If the computer turns off

What if the computer shut off?

One second in, the computer of a hovering drone shuts off, and the motors stay at their last speeds. No two motors are made exactly alike, so their pushes differ by about 1%. That tiny difference starts a slow tilt, and the more it tilts, the faster it tilts. In about 1.5 seconds the drone hits the ground.

Why?Have you ever balanced a broom on your palm? If you hold still, it falls. You have to keep moving your hand a little. A drone is the same. Nothing pulls it back when it tilts, so something has to keep correcting it, nonstop.

Go furtherThis scene is a what-if calculation (shown 2× slower). The difference between the motors (from −1.2% to +1%) is a value chosen for the calculation. On a real drone, the computer never rests from the moment it powers on until it lands.