Tiny drone helps reveal ancient royal burial sites

The machine tested in a remote area in Russia called Tuekta was a four-propeller “quadrocopter”: the battery-powered Microdrone md4-200. The fact it is small — the axis of its rotors is about 27 inches (70 cm) — and weighs about 35 ounces (1,000 grams) made it easy to transport, and researchers said it was very easy to fly, stabilizing itself constantly and keeping at a given height and position unless ordered to do otherwise. The engine also generated almost no vibrations, they added, so that photographs taken from the camera mounted under it were relatively sharp. Depending on the wind, temperature and its payload, the drone’s maximum flight time is about 20 minutes.