On the Swiss EPFL Know-how Institute, a drone has been outfitted with feathers to extend its precision throughout flight. The bio-inspired system can unfold or shut its wings whereas flying, making it simpler to maneuver and extra resistant in excessive winds. After fastidiously observing birds in flight, researchers from the EPFL Laboratory of Clever Programs got here up with the thought of constructing an energy-efficient winged drone able to altering its wingspan, flying at excessive pace and transferring by means of tight areas. The group developed a drone fitted with maneuverable quill feathers that operate like the massive quill feathers of a fowl positioned on the fringe of the wing. The drone’s synthetic feathers are manufactured from fiberglass and lined in a sturdy nylon material. The researchers found that the drone didn’t want ailerons to assist the airborne drone flip. “By altering the wingspan and floor space throughout flight, we may make it flip robotically,” mentioned analysis chief Dario Floreano, head of the Laboratory of Clever Programs. The feather-winged drone’s massive aeronautical benefit over typical drones is its capacity to adapt to wind situations. That might show notably priceless at low altitudes in city environments the place winds change quickly, Floreano mentioned. Watch a video right here. For particulars, see the report on Electronics360.globalspec.com.