from youtube
By Ben Coxworth
16:58 June 13, 2012
Researchers from the Laboratory for Intelligent Systems at Switzerland’s EPFL federal research institute were inspired by the resilience of flying insects, and set out to replicate it in a miniature unmanned aerial vehicle. They succeeded, creating a UAV that can crash into things, fall down, then right itself and get back in the air.
All of the aircraft’s propellers, electronics and other flight surfaces are contained within an open, flexible carbon fiber frame. This protects them in the event of a collision, while still offering some give, so the frame doesn’t just break on impact. The choice of carbon fiber also allows the UAV to remain as lightweight as possible. . . . Read Complete Report