Scientists unveil robot that flies just like a bat

Engineers from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (USA) and California Institute of Technology have designed a robot in the image of a bat. Bat Bot weighs very little - only 93 grams, and the scope of its wings up to 47 centimeters.

According to hitech.vesti.ru, at the Bat Bot almost four times less joints than the living being (9 vs. 40), but the sturdy construction and the "backbone" of carbon fiber make it one of the most flexible autonomous flying robots to date.

The drone is capable of both wings flap independently of each other, his ribs and other "bones" printed the 3D-printer, and a skeleton stretched very thin, elastic silicone membrane 56 microns thick. All this allows Bat Bot almost exactly mimic the flight mechanics of the bats, turning sharply, swoop down and perform other maneuvers.

The main advantage of the flying robot is energy savings. By micromotors attached to the "back", and sensors, fixing the position of the joints, Bat Bot spends flying much less effort. Greater maneuverability allows to use drones in close proximity to buildings (for example, during a search-and-rescue operations or monitoring the construction site), and the flight of silence - to observe the wildlife.

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