This Futuristic Drone Can Fly, Dive Underwater & Hitchhike

This Futuristic Drone Can Fly, Dive Underwater & Hitchhike

Image Credit: Beihang University / Science Robotics
The team behind the project took inspiration from the remora fish (also known as the suckerfish), which is known to stick to larger fishes using a disk-like suction membrane to hold tightly onto the host’s skin surface. In the drone’s case, the 3D-printed suction pad is a remote-controlled disc that can stick itself to both wet and dry surfaces with varied surface texture patterns. During the tests, the hitchhiking capability came in handy in capturing footage of scallops, crabs, and aquatic weeds on the seabed. And in doing so, the drone also consumed 20 times less energy than the underwater propulsion mode. Scientists are calling it the rest mode, as the hitchhiking drastically reduces the power consumption, allowing it to embark on more extended observation missions without worrying too much about the onboard batteries running out of juice and requiring frequent replacements.

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Interestingly, the bio-inspired adhesive pad is known to stick to a moving object’s surface on both land and water. The team is now preparing to take the next evolutionary step — turning the amphibious drone into an autonomous machine for deployment in challenging environments for closes bioanalysis and even in industrial areas for inspection tasks. The end goal is to develop a fleet of autonomous robots that can autonomously switch between air and water-based video capture and use its hitchhiking capabilities for long-duration observation missions. The latest drone breakthrough has been detailed in a Science Robotics research titled “Aerial-aquatic robots capable of crossing the air-water boundary and hitchhiking on surfaces.”

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Next: Science Robotics, The Imperial College, Empa

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#Futuristic #Drone #Fly #Dive #Underwater #Hitchhike

This Futuristic Drone Can Fly, Dive Underwater & Hitchhike

Image Credit: Beihang University / Science Robotics
The team behind the project took inspiration from the remora fish (also known as the suckerfish), which is known to stick to larger fishes using a disk-like suction membrane to hold tightly onto the host’s skin surface. In the drone’s case, the 3D-printed suction pad is a remote-controlled disc that can stick itself to both wet and dry surfaces with varied surface texture patterns. During the tests, the hitchhiking capability came in handy in capturing footage of scallops, crabs, and aquatic weeds on the seabed. And in doing so, the drone also consumed 20 times less energy than the underwater propulsion mode. Scientists are calling it the rest mode, as the hitchhiking drastically reduces the power consumption, allowing it to embark on more extended observation missions without worrying too much about the onboard batteries running out of juice and requiring frequent replacements.

googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-1535570269372-ccr4’); });

Interestingly, the bio-inspired adhesive pad is known to stick to a moving object’s surface on both land and water. The team is now preparing to take the next evolutionary step — turning the amphibious drone into an autonomous machine for deployment in challenging environments for closes bioanalysis and even in industrial areas for inspection tasks. The end goal is to develop a fleet of autonomous robots that can autonomously switch between air and water-based video capture and use its hitchhiking capabilities for long-duration observation missions. The latest drone breakthrough has been detailed in a Science Robotics research titled “Aerial-aquatic robots capable of crossing the air-water boundary and hitchhiking on surfaces.”

googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-1535570269372-ccr5’); });

Next: Science Robotics, The Imperial College, Empa

googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-1550597677810-0’); });

#Futuristic #Drone #Fly #Dive #Underwater #Hitchhike