Added: 3 years ago
From: newscientistvideo
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  • You've made Tom Cruise so jealous! Wait...

  • new technology? I thought the F-14 could do this

  • Search "A robot that flies like a bird" This actually flies like a bird, not using a spinning propeller.

    

  • but with the propeler the wing movement seems irrelevant

  • @nbaietti Watch the video again, the wings don't give propulsion just efficiently at different speeds. Same reason nearly all planes have Flaps. It increase lift at low speeds that are then retracted to decrease drag.

  • watch the difference of this and a f14 fighter?

  • Can't wait for the Mechanized Cheeta suit, Kangaroo suit would be awesome too. Wow it's going to be like megaman in real life in a couple of years. Maybe we will have to start exploring space more though because this planet keeps going volatile.

  • @lynxtipped It's not really that much different to the wing-warping techniques from the earliest examples of manned flight..... A cool thing yes.... "How we wanted to fly since dawn of time" and "Incredible".... Not really.

  • Finally we're getting there. I dream of a time when pilots will "truly wear" their wings and "feel" the wind pushing below them as if they were their own. It took quite a while to get here, from times that pre-date the Roman Empire...

  • @rivendell9999 "wingsuit" search it.

  • ummmm, we already make planes like this for decades now?

  • Has nobody else considered the possibility of such a craft serving as a method of delivery for a paralytic agent or even a lethal poison? It might seem like an advanced technology from where we're standing right now, but it could be done. The best method would be to add the smaller, simpler craft as a complement to a larger UAV that can hold more sophisticated equipment, something like a miniature guided missile. And load the larger of those onto a Predator.

  • @ChristiaanVII you have no concept of reality, please make sense

  • @aierce I must have articulated it poorly, then. I was trying to point out that the advantage of a smaller aircraft would be that it would be suitable for more delicate tasks, such as those which I pointed out as rough, preliminary examples. I thought that a means of overcoming range issues would be to use Predator drones as central hubs, perhaps using an intermediate, retrievable craft to carry them to the vicinity of their targets.

  • @ChristiaanVII Ah, i see, but i think it's probably easier to just carry more of the "paralytic agent" or explosives or whatever

  • Corretion: Mimics a birds WINGS not wing.

  • This is a copy of the Mayan Version. For those who think this is new tech, think again.

  • wut? the morphing wing technology already exits on planes, so the only achievement was making it pilot-less.

  • the same technology can be used to fly roflcopters

  • I sure alot of time put into this, pretty cool!

  • Nascarrelic, how did that comment even get 43 thumbs up? Bad joke is bad. It stayed in the past for a reason.

  • I am watching this without sound, and so I'm a bit confused ... is the plane still propellar-driven? If so, what we have there is basically just instability O.o

  • @Lundix well turn the fucking sound on!!!

  • it can help biologists and the police woohoo thats one more thing that has use in the community

  • The f14 actually does something similar to that. The main advantage this has is that it can sweep the wings quickly and asymmetrically for use in agile maneuvering. To my knowledge the f14 can only sweep the wings slowly in level flight while it transitions from subsonic to supersonic flight speeds. It would be a challenge to incorporate this same technology in a full size piloted platform.

  • After exploring new areodynamicdesigns for years we fing out that the oldest designs, namely the natural ones, are still the best.

  • When does the backback version come out?

  • amazing

  • I need to make something like this for a school assignment. It doesn't actually has to fly, but I should be able to do experiments with it. Could anyone tell me how to make something like this, easy and fast? (Shouldn't be too high-tech like the carbonfibre wings and the electric motors)

    Thanks

  • I've thought that they could do worse. I mean, I've made hover technology....

  • Gmod fin tool hahahahaha

  • hahahahah excellent...

  • doesn't the F 14 Tomcat already use retractable wings?

  • @kuri4001 yes, but not to that extent

  • i couldn't see this being efficient on large scale. :(

  • unfortunately for you, the military disagrees.

  • I saw these at the flea market for 2 bucks

  • "mommy that bird is staring at me(12 year old girl)" " dont worry its just the pedobear spy bird!"

  • haha ... leave that for the marketing department! ;)

  • @NASCARRELIC LMAO

  • Swept wings, like the US F-14 or F-111....how new and exciting!

  • Yea. Wow. Vintage 1970's tech.

  • @DonMeaker idea is similar but executions is was different

  • I would like to see large airplanes using some similar technology. Not only for achieving higher speeds but most importantly to land at much slower speeds. I find disturbing that large commercial airplanes need to land at speeds >300km/h.

  • landing is the best part dude!!

  • lol security footage with 3 min flytime lol thats silly

  • Wow...from far away it looked like a real swift..

    My dad would love one of these..Hahahaha.

  • Lol, to all failers sayin' the F-14 'n such did just this. You're dumbasses, the F-14 changes the position of the wing at the base, this changes the entire shape of the wing, as well as the curve it has in it... I've never seen an F-14 do that...

  • I have! in area 51

  • shut ur fucking mouth lier

  • NO, the world must know what is going on out there. This design was taken from an alien craft that landed in 1924 in Iowa. Then moved to area 51 to be studied. This is like 30% of what the alien technology can do. I got pictures!

  • u... ARE A FUCKING LIER NOW GO HANG URSELF

  • Dude i'm super cereal about this. This isn't the 1/2 of it. where the hell do you think they got the roomba from? transformers???? man you are so 2000 and late.

  • get this guy to do the voiceovers again!!

  • this is amazing how can u say such bad things about it!

  • When the FBI shows up at your door asking about your meth lab, they'll say, "A little birdie told us."

  • security footage of who?

  • the neighbours cat

  • Yeah, I'm pretty sure the obsolete F-14 TOMCAT did pretty much the same thing.

  • Indeed.

  • For sure, that's really what it is, they just seemed to have moved the orientation and movement of the actuators... if they really wanted to make it proper they should try to morph the control surfaces within the wing... like morphing camber for flight control... they are wastin' capital do that project during this time, that's what I say....

  • absolutely. I will miss seeing that great machine soar in the sky.

  • Funny how "obsolete" technology such as the SR-71, F-14, Saturn 5, concorde, are all still the record holders and still the best at what they do, we seem to keep going backwards

  • your name is the "aussietheaustralian" that's like me calling myself "ncthenorthcarolinian"

    i hate yo

  • Who cares who yo hate.

    You delusional idiot.

  • go stick a boomerang up your ass

  • And now it's the size of a small bird, and not a big plane. :D

  • D: , i thought it was a big plane.

  • Ummm... we have had that for about 35 years? it's not a new concept at all... look up F-14 Tomcat... morphing wings have been around since the 70's in Aircraft... The soviets also had the MiG 31 Foxbat that does the same...

  • The F-14, F111 ect had swing wing technology, where the wing only pivots from the root. The swift is where the entire shape of the wing changes. Its a generational leap of technology rather than just a new twist to an old idea.

  • The MiG-23 and the 27 man.

  • I love my country and it's innovators :)

  • The plane copies those tricks from USAF 1950's technology, which was based on German WWII technology. It was called "variable sweep" back then and did the exact same thing with different materials. Been in use for almost 60 years now and still going.

  • True. But there is a difference. While aircraft such as the X-5, F10F, F-111, F-14, etc. used variable swept wings for stability at low air speeds, the RoboSwift uses them as the yaw mechanism (steering) for the plane. This can never be used on full scale aircraft simply because moving such a large control surface that quickly is impractical. But for small unmanned surveillance aircraft it could both save weight and enlarge the flight envelope without sacrificing maneuverability at low speeds.

  • That's what i imagined, but all the video says is it sweeps back for speed and forward for "slower flying", which is what swept wing airplanes have been doing for decades now.

    Yaw control - flying wing designs also date back to WWII, and these do it without any kind of tail at all.

    It also has a vertical stabilizer but apparently it doesn't work as a rudder.

    So the idea is not new here, but the way it is used and the scope of this robot is, and the video does a horrible job of presenting it!

  • This is the coolest thing I've seen all day

  • the purpose for doing this is, what???

  • Developing technology which could possibly improve the life and transport of billions of people. Furthermore, to expand on our understanding of aerodynamics. Thousands of potential applications for the future could come from this. But what is the purpose of your naivety?

  • well you could make a bomb flight that just looked like a bird as long as you had it high up in the air

  • an aircraft with different wings or structure will fly differently, thus allowing it to serve a different purpose. this remote control airplane is just a prototype, the finished product will be full sized airplanes that are capable of things that stationary-winged aircraft are not capable of.

  • Kool maybe there will be plains like those in the future since there is already this..

  • studying birds my ass, Iran recently shot one down in the last year, check it out. It was israeli made

  • lol

    there is a swallow like looking RC aircraft...get the FLAK!!!

  • lame design. brute force solution

  • wow,, WOW,

    after seeing robert Full @ TED talks,

    we are soon to be on the new wave of orgo engineering.

    great stuff

  • its called a servo, that moves the wings, go buy some for like $9 on towerhobbies, then get it flying

  • f-14 does not do this for those noobs out there who think so the f-14s wings sweap back not down like a bird you duppper

  • "can sweep backwards for greater effinancy at high speeds"

    Like a retired F-14? newer but same thing.

  • For those who said that the F-14 do the same, the answer is no. The F-14 rotates the wing itself to change the swep of the wings (meaning that the wings are rigid), while this little thing changes the form of the wing (the wings are flexible), is a subtle, but important difference.

  • F-14 does this already... the navy has been using them for many years.

  • LSD is bad for your health.

  • for yours too

  • And its common knowledge that the urban pigeon population it a combined surveillance and street cleaning program started by the U.S. army in the early 90's

  • Leonardo da Vinci would be proud...

  • Is this a new idea? NO? ever heard about the plane f-14

  • This isn't a new idea, but the way it works is new.

  • I've heard claims of "strange birds" in the sky during chemtrail spraying over communities. Coincidence?

  • ufo anyone?!!if this simple device can mimic ufo movements..we seriously need to think about what is ufo..and what is ours!!As in military...

  • Hear no Evil See no Evil Feel no Evil.....

    The truth will set you free.... =D

  • "Whoa, whoa, doc! You better back up. We don't have enough road to get up to 88 miles per hour."

  • "marti! you're not thinking fourth dimensionally"

  • Roads? Where we're going....we don't need roads!!

  • LoL the train is the best one

  • what r u guys talking about?? lol

  • LOL @ 0:08 - 0:11

  • you said morphine birds... jiminy cricket... hahhah and no... not far but potentially fast

  • sweet 5/5

  • Intriguing.

  • Sorry that most have not the vision to see the potential use of the device.

  • How about spying?

  • the design is different but the wings changing there position on an aircraft has been used for a while................look at the F14 Tomcat , f111 aardvark , Panavia Tornado and the MiG 23 flogger

  • Not in this manner, at this speed or with such elegance.

    Besides, as said this is meant for UAV's and not for fighter jets or commerical airline purposes.

  • a uav is still a plane....................and the swing wing design was used is used in a similar if not the same manner.......swept out for low speed and swept in for high speed along with improving maneuverability depending on if the wings are in or out.

  • Hahaha!! Look at how far that guy runs just to launch that tiny plane!

  • He is a genius (except at throwing stuff)

  • Yea, the Germans did this over 60 years ago, and several nations have used the technology since. It's called a variable swept wing.

  • This isn't a swing wing. The whole wing warps rather than just rotating.

  • hasnt this already been done with a jet aircraft? i remember seeing somin

  • When Da Vinci first started to invent a flying craft,it looks like this.

  • at least "robo-bird" wont poo on you when it flys over!! ha ha ha!!

  • mighty morphine power ranger birds

  • lol

  • I really doubt that 'morphine' birds are going to fly very far.

  • well of course their not if they are on "morphine" lol

  • i want morphine wings

  • Retard....

  • LMAO!!!!

  • cool, widescreen!

  • eh ?

  • I hadnt been on youtube for a while and this is the first video I noticed that was in widescreen.

  • on my screen the video is not in widescreen. It's in a 16:9 area but the vid itself within that area is 4:3 and has a black bar left and right to fill in the gaps.

  • man now i know not to do bad things around birds rofl

  • good design. granted the f-14 morphs, but it's not such a big deal since it's just lateral. I like that this is a vertical morph.

  • Its still a prop plane. It dont use the flapping wings to fly.

  • F-14s have been doing that since before I was born...

  • Honestly, I don't hate f-14's, but these stupid little kiddies saying that f-14's are the ultimate fighter because they saw Tom Cruises naval wank off.. hold on let me make a point "I have the need, the need for speed".. honestly, who wrote that stereotypical garbage (I know i can check the movie credits)!!? Go stick your scientology lover crap in your lunchbox and feed it (your crusty mouth that is).

  • My point was that the idea of having wings fold back when the aircraft is flying faster is not new. I did not mean to imply that f-14s were the "ultimate fighter" or that they were even any good. I simply assumed, whether correctly or not, that the point of this video was to exhibit new technology, and made the observation that the technology was not new at all but has existed for quite some time.

  • They crap acid! Our precious statues and automobile paint jobs are doomed!

  • As for the argument about crime surveillance, if you get to the distance that you can tell for sure whether a small flying object is a bird, it does not exhibit enough bird-like behaviour to qualify as one.

    Small fixed-wing aircraft with efficiently cooled engines and exhaust ducts for low visual, radar and infrared signatures would deliver the same surveillance at less cost, weight penalty and complexity - the motor actuators, hinges and spars of that wing add too much of these for a small a/c.

  • This is simply a repackage of old technology. Variable geometry has been in use for at least 30 years.

  • I have to admit, bluefalconholland's robot peregrine falcon is way more impressive and uses way more of the bird technology than this video. This video reminds of the Tomcat fighter plane which already has wings that swoop backwards during high speed, so what these guys didn't isn't anything new.

  • fix the comment limit problem/lie

  • dddddd

  • Pretty cool! I can't wait till they do this kind of thing to hangliders!

  • That's a new idea? They're producing ultrasonic bombers with variable wing geometry for about 30 years already..

  • at this rate, one day, we'll have air vehicles that will be able to take passengers to their destinations by moving through the air!

  • best comment :P

  • o.k.

  • or God wanted us to learn, and advance our brains to learn to fly.

  • Or god wanted you to lookup the definition of sarcasm.

  • dude...i wasnt even serious. I think YOU should learn how to TYPE sarcasm and express it.

  • Thats nothing compared to going to space!

    But thats probably never going to happen without the help of faeries.

  • Uh, we've had fighter jets doing that for years already, right?

  • Yes, but instead of the wing actually changing shape, they would just rotate back and forth.

  • ahh no, the go to Mr.Bush little war... :D and his pocket... and other pockets...

  • Yeah, what good could possibly come from experimenting?

    Idiot. Do you think airliners, cars, computers, and everything else the world DEPENDS on were just magically thrown together?

  • yeah, but wouldnt it be good to have a plane that looked like a bird, flew like a bird, but wasnt a bird, taking video footage of a robbery, or bombing a country, instead of a plane, they do these things for a reason.