A new research paper documents the creation of the first autonomous small drone swarm that detect gas leaks as well as other possible chemical threats and can map rooms without the aid of GPS. The algorithm, called “Sniffy Bug,” works by sending a swarm to fly in “chainsaw” patterns to find the walls. They can also detect one another in the air to avoid collision and collectively map the space. They can communicate with one another when one detects the source of a gas leak or other potential threat.