Aerial drones seem to be the way that modern warfare is headed – as pilots start to “fly” from the comfort of a control room, without having to risk their lives on the battlefield while the drone takes all the fire from behind enemy lines. Well, here is a drone that does not seem suited for the battlefield, as it is small in size, but comes with a feature that no other drone has so far – being able to move about at ground level on its wings. Researchers from Switzerland’s Lausanne Polytech are the ones behind this particular drone, where it remains as a prototype as at press time, sporting a straightforward and familiar configuration alongside a rear-facing propeller. Whenever this prototype hits the ground, however, the wings would have a secondary function – to help it move around.
Known as the DALER (Deployable Air Land Exploration Robot for short), it sports wings that have been mounted on shafts which can be locked or rotated, depending on your choice. While it is on the ground, the drone is capable of shuffling around at 20cm per second, allowing it to handle high obstacles and rough terrain without missing a beat.
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