Drone makers have turned to nature for their latest creation, a highly maneuverable* winged machine with feathers.

    The bio-inspired device can spread or close its wings while flying, making it easier to maneuver and more resistant in high winds.

    Because of its ability to adapt to its surroundings, researchers believe the feathered drone will prove successful in city landscapes where winds change rapidly.

    A team from the Laboratory of Intelligent Systems was inspired to design this morphing wing drone while observing birds in flight.

    “Birds can radically transform the size and shape of their wings because they have an articulated* skeleton that is controlled by muscles and covered in feathers that overlap when the wings are folded,” said Matteo di Luca.

    This inspiration gave them the idea to build an energy-efficient winged drone capable of changing its wingspan, flying at high speed and moving through tight spaces, an aerial vehicle that would fare well in urban environments.

    The wing is integrated into a drone equipped with a frontal motor for propulsion* and roll is controlled by the asymmetric* morphing of the wing and pitch through a servomotor* that moves an elevator located in the tail.(SD-Agencies)