Another Automaker Thinks Drones Flying From Cars Is A Good Idea

3 weeks, 5 days ago - 13 October 2025, Carbuzz

The droning on and on at Toyota's R&D center isn't another long and boring meeting. It's the sound of four tiny propellers as the automaker works on trying something to help make off-roading a little easier for customers of products like the Tacoma TRD Pro pickup.

The Japanese automaker has made a filing with the FAA that shows it is exploring using small drones along with its vehicles to help act as your spotter the next time you're on the trail.

Drone Spotters Are the Next Hotness
Forget about long-travel suspension, taller tires, and locking everything. There are plenty of situations where the most critical of all off-road features is the most difficult to buy: a second set of eyes in the form of a spotter that can guide you around obstacles. Having an external perspective helps make sure you don't go beyond the limits of your truck when turning the wheel an inch in one direction could help you avoid the problem completely.

Toyota's TRD Pro trucks, as well as its off-road rivals, have tried to give you this same experience using cameras. The standard exterior truck cameras have been joined by new views. Toyota's own views let you see 360-degrees around the truck without stepping out. GM's ZR2 truck models now have cameras mounted under the truck. But it's not always enough, hence the new potential solution.

"By providing the driver with views of the local environment, including potential hazards around and underneath the vehicle, drivers can plan safer routes and improve vehicle operations," Toyota said in its letter to the FAA. Local means very local. It wants the drones to fly in a close circle around the truck, letting you see exactly where the best line is. The drones may be used for other purposes, like a zip above the treeline to help you get oriented or spot the terrain further ahead.

Recent Department of Transportation rules have looked to expand the use of drone tech. Regulators have proposed letting operators use their drones beyond line of sight. It's meant to boost commercial drone delivery services, but it could also be useful for terrain-scouting purposes.

Your Next Trail Ride Might Be A Buzz Of Misery
Toyota hasn't elaborated on what its plans would be, but it isn't the only automaker looking at zipping around to help you on the trail. Last week, we found a patent from Stellantis for a drone dock station built into the vehicle's interior. The patent showed the station in the armrest, though that's not exactly practical. It would exit through the roof and then fly around. Take-off, landing, and charging would all be handled by the vehicle.

While Stellantis didn't say what it could be for, off-road spotting is, once again, a near perfect choice. At least in areas where on-trail foliage isn't overly dense. Other automakers, including Polestar, have showcased drones on concept models. The Polestar O2's drone would be used to film the occupants of the vehicle, creating cinematic shorts of driving action and in-cockpit enjoyment in the convertible performance EV. The Audi AI:Trail concept had up to five drones, which it used as illumination for letting you see down the path. Ford also has patents filed for drone security systems based from a vehicle.