Animal Dynamics
An autonomous paraglider inspired by nature could help armies to resupply troops in dangerous places, or deliver humanitarian aid to disaster zones. The British Army trialled the unusual aerial vehicle during a recent month-long combat exercise.
Called Stork, the glider can take off and land in very tight spaces. It can fly itself to preprogrammed coordinates, using either GPS or a vision-based navigation system if GPS is not available.
Stork’s small, three-wheeled chassis has a motor for propulsion. When …