11 May 2023
Be the first in your group to launch a dead-bird drone?
It could happen...
The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics has revealed scientists have developed a method of attaching electronics to preserved bird carcasses to create "camouflaged" drones.
Creepy.
These dead-bird drones are called "ornithopters," and they actually fly like living birds with mechanical propellers flapping their vampiric, taxidermy-conserved wings. Onboard electronics can include cameras, microphones, and other surveillance gear.
But this project is not solely about Big Brother—or Big Bird—watching over us. The primary directive of the reseachers is to explore methods of incorporating biomimicry into new technologies. In the case of dead-bird drones, the goal might be to offer scientists a less invasive and "natural" way to study wildfire.
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Robotic Bird Biomimicry
