Drone with feathers, Laboratory of Intelligent Systems, Lausanne, Switzerland

A drone has been equipped with feathers to increase its precision during flight. The bio-inspired device can spread or close its wings while flying, making it easier to maneuver and more resistant in high winds.

Click to expand...

We show a new morphing wing, inspired from birds’ feathers, that can expand the flight capabilities of small drones by meeting two contrasting requirements: manoeuvrability and wind resistance. Theoretical and experimental data show that fully-deployed feathered wings improve drone manoeuvrability while partly folded wings are beneficial for speed maintenance in strong headwinds. These new feathered wings, which can fold and unfold very rapidly, can also be used controlling the roll angle, and thus the turning, of the drone without additional control structures, such as traditional ailerons.

Click to expand...

EPFL engineers have developed a drone with a feathered wing and tail that give it unprecedented flight agility.

Click to expand...