An innovative insect-inspired drone, weighing no more than a raisin, has demonstrated remarkable acrobatic capabilities and impressive flight durability, outperforming previous insect-sized flying robots.
To enable agile maneuvers, tiny drones must be lightweight yet resilient enough to endure significant forces. Traditionally, this limitation restricts flight time to approximately 20 seconds, hampering data collection and testing. However, recent advancements have led to the creation of a postage stamp-sized flying robot that can execute intricate moves, such as double flips and hovering for up to 15 minutes without failure.
Engineered by a team at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, this novel drone features enhanced joint designs connecting across a broader area to distribute forces more effectively, significantly reducing stress by a factor of around 100. Muscle-like soft actuators are employed to power the wings instead of conventional electric motors.
“Extended flight time allows for refined control, facilitating precise trajectory tracking and complex maneuvers,” a team representative noted. This advanced tracking capability opens possibilities for applications like artificial pollination and inspecting hard-to-reach areas of aircraft.
Currently, the drone is tethered due to the challenges of miniaturizing its power source and control electronics. Future designs aim to address this limitation. Insights from the research underscore the importance of mechanical longevity alongside battery life and autonomy in drone applications.
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