Singapore researchers built albatross robot for plane-dropped ocean exploration
Technology
Researchers in Singapore have built ALBATROSS, a clever new robot that can be dropped from planes to explore hard-to-reach ocean spots.
Inspired by nature, its wings spin as it falls, just like a maple seed, so it lands gently and then uses wind power to sail around on its own.
ALBATROSS tested at 150m, cruises 1kph
ALBATROSS skips the need for fancy landing gear, letting it go straight from sky to sea and start collecting data on things like humidity and heat.
Early tests showed it could be dropped from 150 meters up and cruise at 1 kph while doing its job.
Next up: making it tougher for open-sea missions and adding more sensors so it can help with climate research, environmental monitoring, and even maritime security.