The bat’s ability to dynamically reshape the configuration of its wings as it rises and falls in the sky has inspired robotics researchers in designing a drone for exploring confined spaces.

Researchers at Northeastern University in Massachusetts have developed a new type of drone, capable of flying through the air like a bat. Called Aerobat, it uses a combination of rigid and flexible 3D-printed materials designed to mimic the malleable wings of a bat. This aerial robot is designed to navigate in tight, confined spaces that are usually inaccessible to drones.

To develop the Aerobat, the scientists were directly inspired by the relatively complex structure of bat wings. As a result, the robot is now able to fly into small spaces that would typically be inaccessible to conventional drones, such as sewer tunnels, heating pipes, caves and so on.

The concept of the Aerobat is based on a bat's ability to modify and reshape its wings dynamically. During downward strokes, the bat expands its wings and during upstrokes, it collapses them in. This behaviour has been replicated in the Aerobat. In fact, the scientists have been studying this phenomenon for years, resulting in a first prototype unveiled in 2017.

The robotic emulation of bats' skillful navigation of their environment opens up new horizons for aerial robotics. In its latest version, the robot is even autonomous, adapting to its environment using a camera. In fact, the drone controls its flight autonomously to reach its target. The Aerobat can still be improved, however, as it does not yet have flexible fingers like bats, for example.

This research is published in the International Journal Of Robotics Research. 

 - AFP Relaxnews