Researchers at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) in Switzerland have developed a drone named RAVEN (Robotic Avian-inspired Vehicle for ENvironments) that mimics bird behavior by using legs to walk, hop over obstacles, and jump to initiate flight.
This design allows RAVEN to perform jumping takeoffs similar to birds, eliminating the need for runways or catapults typically required by fixed-wing drones.
RAVEN’s legs incorporate principles from avian anatomy, such as energy-storing tendon-like springs and flexible toes, enabling it to walk a meter in under four seconds, hop over 12 cm gaps, and jump onto 26 cm high obstacles.
This bird-like drone encapsulates evolution’s lessons
The prototype has a wingspan of approximately 100 cm and a body length of 50cm and is based on the anatomy of perching birds like ravens and crows that frequently switch between air and land,
During takeoff, its legs propel the drone to nearly half a meter in height with a forward velocity of 2.2 m/s. The inclusion of passive elastic toe joints enhances its ability to execute multiple gait patterns and achieve optimal takeoff angles.
This bio-inspired approach not only facilitates efficient ground movement but also makes jumping takeoffs about ten times more energy-efficient than traditional methods. The research team is exploring additional functionalities for RAVEN’s legs, such as aiding in landing, perching, and object grasping, with the goal of making the drone as bird-like as possible.
