Scientists build shape-shifting drone that morphs from land to air vehicle using liquid metal

Sign up to our free weekly IndyTech newsletter delivered straight to your inbox Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. “One of the challenges was to create a material that was soft enough to dramatically change shape, yet rigid enough to create adaptable machines that can perform different functions,” Michael Bartlett, assistant professor in mechanical engineering, said in a statement. To return the structure back to its original shape, the team incorporated soft, tendril-like heaters next to the alloy mesh that cause the metal to be converted to a liquid at 60 degrees Celsius. These cuts combined with the unique properties of the materials were really important to morph, fix into shape rapidly, then return to the original shape,” study co-author and graduate student Dohgyu Hwang said. “We demonstrate this material through integration with onboard control, motors, and power to create a soft robotic morphing drone, which autonomously transforms from a ground to air vehicle and an underwater morphing machine, which can be reversibly deployed to collect cargo,” the scientists wrote in the study.