Avian-Inspired Graspers

Another entrant for UASGotTalent ™, (see UGT) our new section invented by @RAeSTimR from the twittosphere

Interesting work from the Telerobotics Lab in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Utah

Songbirds perch using a tendon that causes the foot to close when the leg collapses. We are developing graspers inspired by the feet and legs of songbirds that will enable flying robotic rotorcraft such as helicopters and quadrotors to perch like a bird.

This video shows the first lift-off of a quadrotor robot equipped with avian-inspired graspers. The goal of this project is to enable quadrotor perching like a bird. These legs and feet have not yet been optimized to the size of the quadrotor (they are too big)