Nature is an endless source of inspiration, and there’s hardly a more impressive sight than a bird flying through the air. From the first moment we saw a bird take flight, we’ve been striving to build machines capable of replicating that movement. This ambition gave rise to a wide variety of flying contraptions, including airplanes, helicopters, airships, gliders, and drones.
One trend in particular has become evident in recent years: the emergence of drones designed to mimic the look and movements of birds as realistically as possible, down to the flapping of the wings. These robotic birds could have a wide variety of applications, from chasing real birds away from our airports and crops to emergency response and surveillance.