Autonomously flying robotic penguins | AIR PENGUIN

Penguins are beautiful creatures, they’d have been great in the air, but have lost their ability to fly in the course of their genetic development as marine birds. However, with the AirPenguins, the engineers from Festo have given them wings yet again.

Well, don’t get surprised as it’s not the real but they’ve created the artificial penguins and have taught them “autonomous flight in the sea of air”.

AirPenguin is an agile and maneuverable autonomous flying object that comprises a helium filled balloon and has a pyramid-shaped flexible structure of four carbon fiber rods at each end.

Not only is this but the AirPenguins also flaps wings as the birds do. This is made possible via new type of wing span that can produce forward or reverse thrust and 3D Fin Ray structure. Wings are controlled by two actuators wherein flapping actuator helps up and down movements and a further unit that displaces the wing struts to alter the pressure point of the wings.

Also, there is a rotational actuator for the two flapping wings, directing thrust upwards or downwards, thus making the AirPenguins rise or descend accordingly. Well, all these things together give Penguins a new birth with the ability to fly.