CAMBRIDGE, Mass., - Insect-like drones have taken one large step closer to becoming a practical reality. Researchers at Harvard, MIT and the City University of Hong Kong have developed tiny insect-inspired drones that can not only maneuver in extremely tight spaces, but withstand bumps if things go wrong. The key is a switch to an actuation system that can flap the drones' wings while surviving its share of abuse, Jon Fingas reports for Engadget. Continue reading original article.
The Intelligent Aerospace take:
March 3, 2020 -These nano-drones are an interesting exercise in engineering as they ditch traditional motors and utilize piezoelectric ceramic-based rigid actuators. When the carbon nanotubes are electrified, said tubes can beat the wings on the tiny UAVs 500 times per second. Without onboard power and limitied by how much computing power can be fit onto such a tiny device these miniscule aircraft aren't exactly ready for prime time, but the impact could be massive if scientists can solve those problems.
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Jamie Whitney, Associate Editor
Intelligent Aerospace
