University of Tokyo's DRAGON: A Transformable Flying Robot That Acts as a Manipulator
acmoytoy · x · 2026-08-11
Researchers at the University of Tokyo have developed DRAGON, a transformable flying robot. Instead of a rigid frame, it consists of four linked modules, each equipped with two ducted fans that can independently redirect thrust.
- Dynamic Reshaping: It can change its shape mid-air, control its full pose in SE(3) space, and compute the most efficient geometry for a given task.
- Airframe as Manipulator: The body itself acts as a manipulator to interact with objects, rather than just bolting a gripper onto a drone.
- Specs & Ideas: It can lift over 3 kg, which is unusually high for its class. The authors also propose a range-extension idea where the robot walks on the ground instead of flying.
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