DIY Photography

Hacking Photography - one Picture at a time

  • News
  • Inspiration
  • Reviews
  • Tutorials
  • DIY
  • Gear
Search

Submit A Story

Scientists make drones out of stuffed birds

Feb 20, 2023 by Alex Baker 3 Comments

  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Flipboard
  • WhatsApp

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Well…actually, it’s a drone made out of a dead bird. Scientists at the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology really are using the carcasses of birds to mimic real birds in flight for their drones.

Why you may ask. Indeed! The scientists apparently want to build a drone that can actually flap its wings in the same manner as a real live bird. The researchers have found that using real birds is far superior to using synthetic material to achieve this goal. Just don’t tell PETA.

Bird’s skeletons are extremely light weight, and their feathers are flexible, meaning that they can actually out-manoevre the most complex of aircraft.

Even so, the drones built from dead birds are still obviously nowhere near as agile as real live birds are. However, these drones are conveniently camouflaged and won’t ruffle near as many feathers if you see one hovering above you as a conventional looking drone might. It could be extremely handy for espionage, for example.

You’re unlikely to see any of these bird-drones being released by DJI or Zhiyun, but just like the taxidermied cat-drone, it’s bound to start some conversations.

It’s worth noting that some bird species are protected if you’re tempted to try a DIY job. Pigeons could be a different story. However, DIYP obviously isn’t endorsing the mis-treatment of animals to build drones.

[Via Gizmodo]

 

FIND THIS INTERESTING? SHARE IT WITH YOUR FRIENDS!

  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Flipboard
  • WhatsApp

Related posts:

Photographer disqualified from wildlife photo contest for submitting an image of stuffed anteater Conan O’ Brien responds to the stuffed anteater scandal with more faked wildlife pictures Default ThumbnailHigh Speed Photographs of Toys Stuffed With Firecrackers A Portrait Shot 30M Under Toxic Water With A Stuffed Cormorant

Filed Under: news Tagged With: animals, drone, espionage

About Alex Baker

Alex Baker is a portrait and lifestyle driven photographer based in Valencia, Spain. She works on a range of projects from commercial to fine art and has had work featured in publications such as The Daily Mail, Conde Nast Traveller and El Mundo, and has exhibited work across Europe

« DJI Action 2 gains gyro stabilisation in new firmware update
Flash vs LED – which is right for your photography »

Submit A Story

Get our FREE Lighting Book

DIYP lighting book cover

* download requires newsletter signup
DIYPhotography

Recent Comments

Free Resources

Advanced lighting book

Recent Posts

  • Insta360’s new teaser says they’re entering the gimbal market
  • Users report blurry photos from Samsung Galaxy S23/S23+ cameras
  • Whale with severe scoliosis captured by drone video
  • Photographer builds 11-foot electronic waste skull to show Bitcoin’s impact on climate change
  • Fuji’x April X Summit reported to be cancelled

Alex Baker is a portrait and lifestyle driven photographer based in Valencia, Spain. She works on a range of projects from commercial to fine art and has had work featured in publications such as The Daily Mail, Conde Nast Traveller and El Mundo, and has exhibited work across Europe

Dave Williams is an accomplished travel photographer, writer, and best-selling author from the UK. He is also a photography educator and published Aurora expert. Dave has traveled extensively in recent years, capturing stunning images from around the world in a modified van. His work has been featured in various publications and he has worked with notable brands such as Skoda, EE, Boeing, Huawei, Microsoft, BMW, Conde Nast, Electronic Arts, Discovery, BBC, The Guardian, ESPN, NBC, and many others.

John Aldred is a photographer with over 20 years of experience in the portrait and commercial worlds. He is based in Scotland and has been an early adopter - and occasional beta tester - of almost every digital imaging technology in that time. As well as his creative visual work, John uses 3D printing, electronics and programming to create his own photography and filmmaking tools and consults for a number of brands across the industry.

Dunja Djudjic is a multi-talented artist based in Novi Sad, Serbia. With 15 years of experience as a photographer, she specializes in capturing the beauty of nature, travel, and fine art. In addition to her photography, Dunja also expresses her creativity through writing, embroidery, and jewelry making.

Copyright © DIYPhotography 2006 - 2023 | About | Contact | Advertise | Write for DIYP | Full Disclosure | Privacy Policy