  The CYGNO project aims at the development of a high precision optical readout
gaseous Tima Projection Chamber (TPC) for directional dark matter (DM)
searches, to be hosted at Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso (LNGS). CYGNO
employs a He:CF$_4$ gas mixture at atmospheric pressure with a Gas Electron
Multiplier (GEM) based amplification structure coupled to an optical readout
comprised of sCMOS cameras and photomultiplier tubes (PMTs). This experimental
setup allows to achieve 3D tracking and background rejection down to O(1) keV
energy, to boost sensitivity to low WIMP masses. The characteristics of the
optical readout approach in terms of the light yield will be illustrated along
with the particle identification properties. The project timeline foresees, in
the next 2-3 years, the realisation and installation of a 0.4 m$^3$ TPC in the
underground laboratories at LNGS to act as a demonstrator. Finally, the studies
of the expected DM sensitivities of the CYGNO demonstrator will be presented.
