RoboSwifts To Look Like Real Birds, Not Do Anything Terribly Exciting
Writing by Evan Ackerman on Sunday, 12 of August , 2007 at 1:20 am
It may surprise you to learn that swifts are the some of the most efficient, most maneuverable, and fastest birds in the world, reaching speeds of over 100 mph in level flight. It’s no surprise, then, that Dutch engineering students have modeled a new generation of micro airplanes after the swift. RoboSwift is shaped exactly like it’s namesake, down to the shape-shifting wings that fold back like an F-14. It has a 50 cm wingspan and weighs in at 80 grams, and will be able to power it’s beak-mounted propeller for 20 minutes at a stretch with an onboard lithium polymer battery.
RoboSwift doesn’t get it’s swiftiness just from it’s looks. It’s actually designed to autonomously follow a group of real swifts while collecting ground surveillance with three micro cameras. I’m not sure if the real swifts are likely to tolerate that behavior for very long, but it should help the robot maintain the illusion of being a bird rather than a plane for at least a bit longer than normal. RoboSwift is set to make it’s debut in March of 2008 at the American-Asian Micro Air Vehicle competition in India.
VIA [ Fareastgizmos ]
Category: Competitive, Research
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