Photo Credit: YouTube/ IEEE Spectrum
Researchers from École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), in collaboration with a University of California scientist, has unveiled a bird-inspired robot capable of launching itself into flight using spring-loaded legs. Known as RAVEN (Robotic Avian-inspired Vehicle for multiple Environments), the robot mimics certain bird behaviours to combine ground mobility with aerial capability. Aimy Wissa, an aerospace engineer at Princeton University, discussed potential applications for the design in a News & Views piece in the same journal.
To simplify construction, a fixed-wing design was adopted for the robot's body. The tail was built with a split-V configuration, while a front-mounted engine powered a single propeller. These features were combined with spring-loaded legs designed to allow the robot to leap into the air before transitioning into flight.
Tests showed that RAVEN could perform bird-like movements, such as walking and hopping. The researchers also demonstrated that the robot could jump while its rotor spun, allowing it to ascend into the air. These tests highlighted the robot's ability to navigate multiple environments effectively. This design approach, it was suggested, as per reports, could expand the functional capabilities of drones, potentially enabling enhanced versatility in search-and-rescue missions, environmental monitoring, and other applications.
This development marks a step towards creating robots that combine land and aerial mobility while reducing energy consumption.
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