Bird's Legs Inspire Perching Drone

Feb-01-14 Using feet inspired by the American kestrel, near-future drones may be able to enjoy an extended battery life as well as a more convenient (and less obvious) way to spy.

The feet were developed by Bhargav Gajjar of Vishwa Robotics to function as an add-on for the small drones used by the US Air Force, most of which do not have landing gear and rely on crash-control to come back down to earth. The new drone is equipped with a camera that allows a remote computer to set it up for landing just like a bird would—by braking sharply and stalling just before the landing site and then using its legs as shock absorbers.

The legs can also ‘waddle’ a short distance and allow the drone to perch on objects, making it less obvious than it would be while circling overhead while also saving battery life. The ‘feet’ of the drone also grasp its perch very tightly, making it difficult to remove.

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