Birdlike drone able to jump into flight

Inspired by the ability of perching birds to switch frequently between air and land, the so-called RAVEN (Robotic Avian-inspired Vehicle for multiple ENvironments) drone boasts multifunctional robotic legs that allow it to take off autonomously in environments previously inaccessible to winged drones.

It is claimed that technology  - which is described in the journal Nature  - could pave the way for winged drones that can move on rough terrain and take off from restricted locations without human intervention and open up potential applications in inspection, disaster mitigation, and delivery in confined areas.

“Birds were the inspiration for airplanes in the first place, and the Wright brothers made this dream come true, but even today’s planes are still quite far from what birds are capable of,” said EPFL PhD student Won Dong Shin. “Birds can transition from walking to running to the air and back again, without the aid of a runway or launcher. Engineering platforms for these kinds of movements are still missing in robotics.”