MIT and EPFL build a sub-300g robot that swims underwater then flies out
lukas_m_ziegler · x · 2026-09-07
Engineers at MIT and EPFL built a flapping-wing aerial-aquatic robot under 300 grams that swims then flies straight out of the water, published in Science. A waterproof motor drives a crankshaft flapping two flexible wings at set frequencies, a motorized tail adjusts climb/dive angle, and hydrophobic nanoparticle-coated wing membranes shed water. Wing flexibility proved key: soft enough for low flapping amplitude in water, firm enough in air. Lead author Raph Zufferey leads MIT's AURA Lab.
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