Scientists make drones out of stuffed birds

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]