The animated series Murder Drones by Glitch Productions has captivated audiences with its high-octane action, dark humor, and sleek drone protagonists. But beyond the killer plotlines and disassembly drone antics, a burning question lingers: how “new” is the drone technology depicted in the show? Released in 2021, Murder Drones portrays autonomous killer quadcopters zipping through abandoned facilities, armed with acid nanite cannons and hyper-agile flight systems. Fans often wonder if these fictional flyers are ahead of their time or rooted in real-world tech that’s been around longer than you think. In this deep dive, we’ll unpack the age of the tech behind the “new” murder drones, comparing show elements to actual UAV advancements in flight, imaging, AI, and more.
The Roots of Murder Drones: Fiction Inspired by Real UAV History
Murder Drones didn’t invent its star quadcopters from thin air. The show’s disassembly drones—compact, weaponized UAVs with razor-sharp tails and swarm capabilities—echo decades of drone evolution. Real-world quadcopters trace back to the early 2000s, with pioneers like the DJI Phantom series popularizing stabilized multicopters for consumers by 2013. But military drones predate that: the Predator UAV flew surveillance missions in 1995, boasting autonomous navigation that’s eerily similar to the drones hunting worker drones in the series.
Early Influences from FPV and Racing Drones
Dig deeper, and you’ll find Murder Drones‘ acrobatic maneuvers pulled straight from the FPV drones scene. First-person view racing exploded around 2015, with pilots pushing micro drones through tiny gaps at 100+ mph using lightweight frames and high-torque motors. The show’s drones flip, barrel-roll, and evade with precision that mirrors BetaFPV racers or iFlight models. These aren’t new; hobbyist quadcopters with brushless motors date to 2010, evolving from helicopter tech in the 1990s. Glitch Productions likely drew from YouTube FPV footage, making the “new” murder drones feel like a 10-15-year-old upgrade on existing hardware.
Worker drones, with their modular arms and repair functions, nod to modular UAV designs in research labs. Since the 2010s, projects like Crazyflie nano-drones have demonstrated swarming and self-assembly, tech that’s over a decade old. So, while Murder Drones feels futuristic, its core airframes are as “new” as your average 2024 racing drone—refinements on platforms established 10+ years ago.
Flight Technology Breakdown: How Old Are Those Killer Moves?
The hallmark of murder drones is their flight prowess: silent hovers, rapid pursuits, and obstacle-dodging in zero-visibility corridors. This screams advanced stabilization and sensors, but let’s age it.
Navigation and Stabilization Systems
In the show, drones use inertial measurement units (IMUs) and visual odometry for mid-air corrections, much like modern Pixhawk flight controllers running PX4 firmware since 2011. These open-source autopilots handle GPS-denied environments with Kalman filters—math from the 1960s, implemented in drones by the mid-2000s. Betaflight, the go-to for FPV quads, added acrobatic PID tuning in 2013, enabling the spins and dives we see.
Obstacle avoidance? The disassembly drones’ radar-like sensing predates consumer LiDAR on DJI Mini 4 Pro (2023), but military AN/APG-78 radars have been dodging threats since the 1990s. Show drones likely simulate Intel RealSense depth cameras, available since 2014 for micro UAVs. Verdict: flight tech is 10-20 years old, polished by racing communities.
Swarm Intelligence and Autonomous Flight
Swarming murder drones coordinating kills? That’s Drone swarming tech from DARPA’s 2016 OFFSET program, building on algorithms from 2010 academic papers. Consumer versions like Skydio 2 autonomous follow (2019) use similar AI pathfinding. The show’s hive-mind tactics feel fresh, but the underlying flocking algorithms (Boids model, 1986) are ancient in tech years.
Cameras, Imaging, and Weaponized Vision
No murder drone is complete without eyes. The series’ glowing visors and targeting overlays blend thermal imaging with FPV feeds, scanning for disassembly targets.
FPV Systems and Gimbal Tech
Disassembly drones’ helmet cams evoke DJI FPV goggles (2021), but analog FPV cams on 5.8GHz video transmitters ruled racing since 2012. Low-latency digital like Walksnail Avatar HD (2022) matches the show’s crisp night vision. Gimbals for steady tracking? DJI Ronin stabilized cameras hit drones in 2015, stabilizing 4K feeds mid-flight.
Thermal and night vision? FLIR systems on DJI Matrice enterprise drones since 2017, rooted in military FLIR Vue (2014). Acid nanite targeting? Pure fiction, but optical zoom akin to Zenmuse Z30 (2015) exists. Imaging tech: mostly 5-15 years old, with show visuals amped for drama.
Accessories and Power: Batteries, Blades, and Durability
What keeps murder drones airborne through endless chases? Robust accessories.
Worker drones swap parts mid-battle, like hot-swappable Tattu batteries (LiPo packs since 2012) in racing pits. Propellers? Carbon fiber blades from Gemfan (2010s) withstand crashes, much like the show’s self-repairing frames. Controllers mimic RadioMaster TX16S (2019) with customizable sticks for tail strikes.
Nanite acid weapons aside, modular payloads echo ArduPilot bays for sensors or droppers, standard since 2011. Batteries powering 20-minute flights? High-C LiPos from 2015 match DJI Smart Batteries. Accessories: battle-tested for a decade.
Tech & Innovation: AI Follow and the Future of “Murder” Drones
Murder Drones shines in AI: drones learn, adapt, and ” Absolute Solver” hacks systems. Real AI follow modes like DJI ActiveTrack (2017) lock onto targets autonomously. Mapping? Show facility scans resemble Pix4D photogrammetry (2011). Remote sensing for weak points? Ground-penetrating radar on UAVs since 2010s.
How “New” Is It Really?
| Feature | Show Debut (2021) | Real-World Origin | Age in 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quadcopter Frames | Disassembly Drones | DJI Phantom (2013) | 11 years |
| FPV Acrobatics | Chases & Flips | Betaflight (2013) | 11 years |
| Autonomous Avoidance | Corridor Dodges | Skydio (2016) | 8 years |
| Thermal Targeting | Night Hunts | FLIR (2014) | 10 years |
| Swarm Tactics | Hive Attacks | DARPA (2016) | 8 years |
| AI Learning | Solver Evolution | TensorFlow Drones (2017) | 7 years |
The table tells the tale: most tech is 7-15 years old, with roots even deeper. Murder Drones aggregates polished consumer/military innovations, not invents them. Newest bits—like HD digital FPV (2022)—postdate the pilot, but core flight and AI were mature pre-2021.
Aerial Filmmaking and Cinematic Legacy
Finally, the show’s drone cams deliver cinematic kills: sweeping arcs, Dutch angles, and hyperlapse pursuits. This mirrors pro techniques with Inspire 2 (2016) for Hollywood shots. Flight paths scripted in Litchi apps (2014) enable keyframe animations seen in episodes.
In conclusion, the “new” murder drones aren’t revolutionary—they’re a killer remix of 10-20-year-old tech from FPV racing, enterprise UAVs, and AI labs. As real drones like Autel Evo Lite push boundaries in 2024, Murder Drones reminds us: the future of deadly flight was already here. Whether you’re building an FPV racer or mapping your backyard, the skies have been “murderous” for ages.