Swiss-designed software steers kamikaze drones

Cheap, self-guiding mini-drones have become an integral part of modern warfare – thanks in part to Swiss software, public television, RTS, has revealed. Autonomous drones are becoming more and more commonplace. In future, they could be delivering the post or transporting life-saving medication and organs between hospitals. But they can also be used to wage war, and this is precisely what is happening with the technology developed by a company with roots in Zurich. High-tech, low price The origins of the Auterion firm go back to 2008, when founder Lorenz Meier developed technology for self-flying drones at the federal technology institute ETH Zurich. Since then, the invention has been used worldwide. As the company proudly announces on its website, it has even been “nominated by the US government as the standard for its own drone programme”. Auterion, which has offices in both Zurich and California, is meanwhile behind the PX4 operating system, which allows drones to fly ...