Swiss engineers create first flying robot capable of landing on branch like bird

Engineers at the Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne, in collaboration with the University of Seville, have created a winged robot that can land on a narrow horizontal surface using a claw-like mechanism. The innovation will help expand the range of tasks performed by robots.

In nature, the process of landing a bird on a branch requires a very precise balance with regard to impact force, speed, and flight path. This movement is so complex that no bird-flying machine (ornithopter) has yet been able to master it.

Now the researchers have succeeded by equipping the 700-dram robot with a navigation system and a special claw that absorbs the inertia of the motion when it lands and quickly grabs a surface designed for landing, so the device doesn't fall.

"This is the first phase of a larger project. Once an ornithopter can master landing autonomously on a tree branch, then it has the potential to carry out specific tasks, such as unobtrusively collecting biological samples or measurements from a tree. Eventually, it could even land on artificial structures, which could open up further areas of application," said Raphael Zufferey, one of the authors of the development.

He noted that the ability to land on a branch would make the device more efficient because, like other drones, its battery needs to be recharged, and the ability to land on a branch could make it more suitable for longer missions, during which it could land for refueling.

“This is a big step toward using flapping-wing robots, which as of now can really only do free flights, for manipulation tasks and other real-world applications,” he says.

Raphael Zufferey said the flying vehicle they created can perform many operations at once – first, it must be able to slow down significantly when landing and at the same time stay in flight. In addition, the claws must be strong enough to keep the device from falling. "That’s one reason we went with a single claw rather than two,” he explained.

The engineer said that, for now, flight tests are conducted indoors because of the need for a controlled flight zone with precise localization from the motion-capture system. "In the future, we would like to increase the robot’s autonomy to perform perching and manipulation tasks outdoors in a more unpredictable environment,” he added.