Insects helped Swiss researchers for anti-crash drone

Swiss researchers have created a flexible quadcopter that recoils during a crash, influenced by Mother Nature. Wasps in particular have special joints that allow their wings to reversibly crumple during an accident. This transition into a flexible state during times of stress drastically minimizes any sustained damage.  

Roboticists from EPFL in Lausanne, Switzerland, have developed a new drone to mimic the elasticity and durability of insects. Researchers achieved this by using a "squishy" material that's able to be rigged while flying but become malleable when it comes in contact with something. This flexibility absorbs potentially damaging impacts and eliminates them.

The quadcopter’s external frame is built with a flexible fiberglass, which uses four magnetic joints to hold together its four arms and connect to the central core. The fiberglass frame measures 0.3 mm thick, and can withstand substantial collisions without permanent damage.

In the event of a collision, the drone transitions from its rigid state during flight into its flexible form. Elastic bands ensure the magnets snap back in place after the energy is absorbed from the impact, allowing the frame to realign and adjust.

After 50 test drops at a height of 2 meters, the drone suffered no permanent damage after magnetically disengaging and successfully reassembling to its post-crash configuration.