Nature is a treasure – trove of ideas for the creators of robots. At this time, the engineers at Caltech, together with colleagues from the University of Illinois have developed a robot-bat with soft wings.
Unusual drone is not only an alternative to “fellow” with rotating propellers, but also a training manual for scientists in studying the flight mechanics of bats. As it turned out, while in flight, they are able to perform movements of the wings in 40 different directions due to the complex manipulation of joints.
The robot weight only 93 grams, a wingspan of about 0.3 m. the Simulation of their live analogues became possible largely thanks to the onboard computer and sensors for Autonomous flight.
The hardest thing was to choose the material for the wings is both flexible and durable. As a result, researchers have developed a unique silicone membrane with a thickness of 56 microns. With the help of the stroke of the wing began to leave much less energy than other flying drones.
According to the creators, these drones can be used in remote places, where the rotating blades can injure people or damage objects.