Yikes! Swarm of flying robots assemble and roll out

(CBS/CNET) In the future, a swarm of flying robots may do the work now done by human search teams.

PICTURES: 16 creepiest robots ever

A robotics research team at the University of Pennsylvania has designed a system to coordinate a number of small quadcopters, a step toward coordinating multiple robots for tasks such as surveillance or searching areas after a disaster.

The General Robotics, Automation, Sensing, and Perception (GRASP) lab at UPenn yesterday posted a video on YouTube with nano quadcopters showing remarkable agility and the ability to perform as a team.

According to CNET News, the quadcopters are able to flip over and maintain flight. More amazing is their operation in formation. Based on commands, 16 quadcopters change direction, land, navigate past obstacles, and even fly in a figure-eight formation.

For more on this story, go to CNET News