A more agile drone inspired by birds of prey

In designing the LisEagle, Floreano Dario (Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne) and his colleagues hoped to bring together the best of two families of drones: retaining the aerodynamics and lift of winged machines, while gaining some of the agility of multicopters, twice as enduring for the same mass. They were inspired by birds of prey, “but without copying them entirely, because the propeller remains more effective than the flapping of wings”. The drone, described in Communications Engineering, on November 25, therefore has wings whose angle of incidence can vary, and a mobile tail and wing tips composed of feathers which change the surface. This combination allows you to roll over the wing faster before entering a tighter turn. Next step: autonomy in these maneuvers to evolve in a dense environment, such as cities or forests.