Energy News
UAV NEWS
Robotic flight meets instinctive adaptation in groundbreaking drone research
illustration only
Robotic flight meets instinctive adaptation in groundbreaking drone research
by Clarence Oxford
Los Angeles CA (SPX) May 28, 2025

Inspiration can come from the most unexpected places-even a squirrel leaping through treetops. For David Saldana, assistant professor of computer science and engineering at Lehigh University, such an encounter sparked a vision to revolutionize aerial robotics.

The NSF CAREER award recognizes early-career faculty who demonstrate excellence in research and education. It provides five years of stable support to explore transformative ideas.

Conventional drones can manage only rigid objects. Flexible materials, with their unpredictable dynamics, pose complex challenges. "If you try to grab an apple from a branch, the branch pushes back," explains Saldana. "Humans instinctively adjust to these forces. We want robots to do the same."

To address this, Saldana's team is developing a new framework that blends adaptive control systems with reinforcement learning. The goal is to create drones that can react in real time, maintain stability, and improve with experience.

"This means the robot won't need to repeat actions endlessly before mastering them," he says. "It becomes more efficient with each task it completes."

The initiative begins with designing an adaptive controller capable of real-time force compensation without prior material knowledge. This foundation enables reinforcement learning algorithms to help the robot discover optimal control strategies through interaction.

"No one has integrated these two approaches in this way before," says Saldana.

One primary application lies in high-rise construction. Drones could safely position rods and cables, currently handled by workers, improving safety and cutting costs. Other potential uses include deploying plastic sheeting over rooftops during storms and guiding fire hoses during emergencies.

To realize these benefits, developers must overcome the challenge of enabling real-time adaptation in ever-changing environments-a challenge nature has already solved.

"I'm excited to tackle new problems," Saldana says, "and to see how we can give drones the instinctive agility of squirrels."

Research Report:Engineering smarter drones: From nature to complex aerial manipulation

Related Links
SwarmsLab
UAV News - Suppliers and Technology

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters
Tweet

RELATED CONTENT
The following news reports may link to other Space Media Network websites.
UAV NEWS
Ukraine fires massive drone barrage at Moscow
Moscow (AFP) May 28, 2025
Ukraine launched one of its largest ever attempted drone attacks on Russia overnight, Russian authorities said on Wednesday, sending almost 300 drones across the country, including dozens towards the capital Moscow. The attack comes after Russia pummelled Ukraine with a record drone attack over the weekend, in strikes that Kyiv said killed at least 13 people. Moscow has escalated its air attacks in recent months even as Donald Trump pushes the sides to halt the fighting and as negotiators held t ... read more

UAV NEWS
Key climate target of airline decarbonisation 'in peril': IATA

EU says 'well on track' to reach 2030 climate targets; France pushing for 'China-EU leadership' on climate

EU parliament backs carbon border tax exemption

Does renewable energy reduce fossil fuel production in the US?

UAV NEWS
EV battery recycling key to future lithium supplies

MIT physicists discover a new type of superconductor that's also a magnet

SwRI sets new benchmark in high temperature pressure testing for sCO2 turbines

Battery giant CATL ends up more than 16% on Hong Kong debut

UAV NEWS
Trump admin ends halt on New York offshore wind project

Trump shift boosts offshore wind project: New York governor

Norway's Equinor slams 'unlawful' halt to US wind farm

US halts Equinor's huge New York offshore wind project

UAV NEWS
Rooftop solar with EV batteries could meet majority of Japan power demand

Solar power system installations impact less than 1 percent of Arkansas' ag land

TEMPO molecule technique advances perovskite solar cell durability and efficiency

Agrivoltaic systems gain public favor over conventional solar parks

UAV NEWS
Intelligent Control System Enhances Space Reactor Performance under Uncertainty

Framatome wins contract to supply fuel assemblies to Leibstadt Nuclear Power Plant

New standards in nuclear physics

Seoul's power giant pushes back on EU probe into Czech nuclear bid

UAV NEWS
Turning CO2 into Sustainable Fuels Could Revolutionize Clean Energy

Cool science: Researchers craft tiny biological tools using frozen ethanol

Europe's biggest 'green' methanol plant opens in Denmark

Biogas Production from Alfalfa Enhanced by Fruit Waste and Microbes

UAV NEWS
Oil-rich UAE orders emissions monitoring in new climate law

A new approach could fractionate crude oil using much less energy

Australia approves 40-year extension for contentious gas plant

US says supports gas deals with Kurdistan region after Iraq lawsuit

UAV NEWS
German court sets climate precedent but rejects Peruvian farmer's claim

UN says strong chance average warming will top 1.5C in next 4 years

Fears for crops as drought hits northern Europe

Tariff wars will hamper climate efforts: COP30 CEO

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.