A research team from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL) published a paper on December 7th, unveiling a biomimetic drone named RAVEN. The most distinctive feature of this drone is its equipped mechanical legs, which allow it to walk like a bird and even jump to take off.
Currently, the research team has released a demonstration video of the drone, showcasing the specific details of the instantaneous jumping and takeoff of this version of the drone.
In the current design, the biomimetic mechanical legs weigh approximately 230 grams and feature a two-stage design. The ankle joint is equipped with a torsion spring, mimicking the energy storage and release mechanism in bird legs. When the drone's legs "crouch," energy is stored in the spring. When the legs "extend," the spring releases, generating a high acceleration in coordination with the motor, allowing the drone to achieve an instantaneous jump and takeoff.
Although traditional views suggest that additional mechanical complexity leads to energy loss, the researchers引用 data indicating that this is not the case. Although the drone's jumping takeoff method requires 7.9% more energy than vertical takeoff, its efficiency is extremely high, with an energy-to-acceleration ratio that is 9.7 times that of vertical takeoff, meaning it can achieve faster acceleration compared to fixed-wing models.
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