Bio-inspired Flapper with Resilience to Obstacles, Tangles, Wind Gusts and Wing Tear

<p>Both insects and hummingbirds possess remarkable aerial capabilities, achieving goals that may seem mutually exclusive. These goals include enduring sudden external forces, such as wind gusts or collisions, as well as withstanding abrasions and reduced wing surface area. Inspired by the flight patterns of birds and insects, the proposed hummingbird robot aims to address the challenges faced by traditional unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in complex environments.</p> <p>The investigation has two primary objectives. Firstly, we designed four distinct scenarios to evaluate the hummingbird robot individually. Through experimental assessments, we tested the highly resilient flapping mechanism inspired by biological systems. These tests demonstrated its ability to generate lift and propulsion effectively while maintaining durability in the presence of turbulent winds, obstacles, and entanglements. Secondly, we conducted experimental investigations to assess the performance of the robot mechanism and compare it with existing UAV technologies. The tests were specifically designed for this purpose.</p> <p>The results indicate that the bio-inspired hummingbird robot exhibits significant improvements in robustness compared to traditional UAVs. It demonstrates the enhanced capacity to endure wind gusts, obstacles, and entanglements. Regardless of prevailing conditions, the robot effectively mitigates the adverse impacts caused by physical impairments and external disturbances. This robustness is achieved through the flexible body parts, direct-actuated reciprocal wing, and reinforcement learning control, which mimic the morphology of live hummingbirds.</p>