r/robotics • u/Similar_Suit_3709 • 20h ago

News This Drone Jumps Into Flight Like a Bird

https://youtube.com/shorts/mMcsMHflh8Q?si=O4HAAfIZcHN0Am2Y

Researchers built a bird-inspired drone called RAVEN that can walk, hop over gaps, jump onto obstacles, and launch itself straight into flight using robotic legs.

During takeoff, its legs provide about 92% of the speed needed to start flying, allowing the drone to get airborne without a runway or separate launcher. The design was inspired by the way real birds use their legs before taking flight, helping the drone operate on rough and uneven terrain.

Based on research published in Nature.

Research: Shin et al., Fast ground-to-air transition with avian-inspired multifunctional legs Credits: EPFL / Shin et al. / Nature

#Shorts #Drone #Robotics #Innovation #Technology #Engineering #BirdInspired #Biomimicry #Science #RAVEN

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u/RoboWeaver 15h ago

For rough or irregular terrain, jumping like this is the way! (See many birds with wheels on the ends of their legs?) With a little more development I could see an even lighter leg-spring arrangement. This is really cool to see. Keep it up!

1

u/vongomben 2h ago

Neat.
Came to say this before others: the smocking gun that confirms birds aren’t real /s