Ice Dart Drone Utilizes Cat-Inspired Claws for Landing on Steep Ice Surfaces
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- Dronelife.com
Researchers at Canada’s Université de Sherbrooke have developed the Ice Dart, a multirotor drone designed to land on steep, slippery ice using retractable claws inspired by cats. This innovative landing gear allows the drone to maintain stability on slopes of up to 60 degrees and withstand winds exceeding 30 km/h, as demonstrated in tests conducted on natural icebergs and glaciers in Iceland.
The significance of the Ice Dart lies in its ability to expand the operational capabilities of multirotors in challenging environments. By employing friction-based landing gear and reverse thrust, the drone can absorb impact and secure its position on steep ice, making it suitable for various applications such as iceberg tracking, maritime safety, and environmental research. This advancement could enhance the utility of small drones for sensing missions, allowing them to conserve energy while remaining stationary.
Looking ahead, the Ice Dart represents a promising development in drone technology, particularly for operations in Arctic regions. The research team, consisting of Isaac Tunney, John Bass, and Alexis Lussier Desbiens, continues to explore innovative landing solutions for multirotors, potentially paving the way for further advancements in drone capabilities in extreme conditions. No further timeline was disclosed at the time of publication.
Original report
Cat-Inspired Claws Help Ice Dart Drone Land on Steep Ice
Dronelife.com · Miriam McNabbThis briefing is an independently written summary based on publicly available reporting and is provided for industry information and news discovery. The original report and source publication are credited and linked where applicable. RobotToday does not claim ownership of third-party source material.
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