BEIJING, May 19 (ABC) –:A team of Chinese scientists along with their international counterparts have designed a robotic drone capable of crossing the air-water boundary and hitchhiking on surfaces.
The scientists from Beihang University and Imperial College London drew inspiration from remora fish, a family of species known for their adhesive discs that help them catch a ride on marine creatures including whales and sharks. The unique ability of this fish to hitchhike on moving objects helps it to save effort.
The 3D-printed, untethered robot can switch from an underwater drone to an aerial vehicle in less than one second due to the unique design of its propellers that make this transition between mediums faster than most previous aerial-aquatic robots, according to the study published Thursday in the journal Science Robotics.
The robot is installed with a remote-controlled suction pad that can stick to wet and dry surfaces with different textures, even on moving objects, according to the study.