Development of Flapping Robot with Self-Takeoff from The Ground Capability

Birds are agile in locomotion and able to move quickly and easily from one place to another. When a bird is on the ground, and a threat approaches, the bird will fly away and escape. An ornithopter robot provides advantages in energy saving, maneuverability, and crash safety. Most flapping robots require an operator or assistance to take off. The goal of this study is to enable self-takeoff from the ground. The developed robot can generate thrust to its body by exceeding its own weight using a simple flapping mechanism and lightweight design. The result of the takeoff experiment showed that the ornithopter robot was able to self-takeoff from the ground without assistance.