Engineers from MIT and EPFL in Lausanne, Switzerland, have developed a groundbreaking robot inspired by diving birds such as loons and puffins. This new robot, weighing less than 300 grams, has been designed to effectively function in both water and air, mimicking the unique abilities of certain birds that can both fly and swim. Known as the “flapping-wing aerial-aquatic vehicle” (FAAV), it could revolutionize how scientists study bird flight mechanics and open new possibilities for exploration in areas like oceanography.
The FAAV features a fuselage or central body, two flexible wings, and a steerable tail, allowing it to transition smoothly from swimming to flying. The design and operation details, including options for interchangeable wing sizes and adjustable tail angles, were tested and refined through experiments conducted both in a water tank and at a lake. These tests helped identify the optimal configurations that enable smooth transitions between air and water.
Published in the journal Science, the study suggests these findings could provide insights into how diving birds adapt their flight mechanics for different environments. The robot’s potential applications are vast, with possibilities for its deployment in sampling oceanic regions that are difficult to access using conventional methods. As highlighted by Raphael Zufferey, an assistant professor at MIT and lead author of the study, the vision is for the robot to be used by oceanographers and marine biologists to collect data efficiently and at a lower cost.
Zufferey leads the AURA Lab at MIT, where his team focuses on creating aerial and aquatic vehicles inspired by natural biomechanics. For this project, they sought to develop a vehicle capable of operating seamlessly in both air and water, despite the physical differences between the two mediums. Their research involved studying diving birds like puffins and petrels to understand their flight patterns and incorporate these insights into the robot’s design.
The robot resembles a bird structurally, powered by a battery-operated motor that drives its wing movements. With a focus on biomimicry, the team equipped the wings with hydrophobic membranes to enhance water expulsion, enabling efficient transitions from water to air. Different wing sizes were tested, with medium-sized wings providing the best performance in transitioning between the two environments.
The experiments revealed that the robot can swim at speeds nearing 1 meter per second and fly at 6 meters per second, with the robot’s performance closely mirroring that of real diving birds. A critical finding was that, unlike birds that typically require their feet to assist in takeoff from water, the robotic design did not require such assistance, proving a significant point for robot design efficiency. Going forward, the team aims to enhance the robot’s capabilities for turning maneuvers and plans to test its resilience in more challenging environmental conditions.
Supported by a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions fellowship grant, this research paves the way for developing autonomous drones capable of frequent, data-rich ocean exploration. The team envisions launching these robots to collect and transmit data regularly, thus transforming approaches to gathering oceanographic insights.
Source: MIT News
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https://news.mit.edu/2026/new-flapping-robot-swims-and-flies-like-diving-bird-0709
