MAKE: Blog: Flying manta blimp

Flying manta blimp

German engineering firm Festo has created this flying manta ray. Dubbed the Air_ray, it's a balloon made of an aluminum-vaporised "PET foil". Inflated with helium, the Air_ray's propulsion system is a flapping wing drive. Each wing has alternating pressure and tension flanks that are attached to an internal set of ribs. The flanks are connected to a remotely controlled servo motor. When pressure is applied to either of the flanks, the wing bends in the opposite direction. By alternating pressure on the flanks, the wings beat. The servos are powered by two 8V LiPo accumulator cells.

Flying manta ray

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Comments

Oldest comments listed first.

Posted by: Z on June 3, 2008 at 7:32 PM

Anyone want to explain how the wings flap? I have no idea and the technical document didn't really help me.

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