Scientists believe they are a step closer to building drones that can mimic the way birds fly, after designing a robot using real pigeon feathers. Dubbed PigeonBot, the robot is able to manoeuvre in the air, dive down, and make sharp turns as nimbly as a bird. Using the model, they designed the wings so that each feather in the PigeonBot would move in the same way as in a real pigeon. “PigeonBot is a step toward making flying robots safer to interact with and closer to the flight performance of real birds. “It can inspire future robotic platforms that enable bird studies without ecological or welfare impact.”Other applications, Mr Chang said, include developing smart materials that can mimic the softness and stable performance of real feathers.

Source: Irish Examiner January 16, 2020 18:56 UTC