As regular CFZ-watchers will know, for some time Corinna has been doing a column for Animals & Men and a regular segment on On The Track... particularly about out-of-place birds and rare vagrants. There seem to be more and more bird stories from all over the world hitting the news these days so, to make room for them all - and to give them all equal and worthy coverage - she has set up this new blog to cover all things feathery and Fortean.

Wednesday 30 October 2013

Army, University of Maryland create realistic robotic bird

ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md. - A robotic bird created by Army and University of Maryland researchers is tricking real flocks -- and hawks -- midair, making it a potential unsuspecting future war agent.

Robo-Raven glides, soars and flaps like a real bird. Complete individual wing control allows for extreme aerobatics that no other mechanical bird has ever been able to perform, U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command researchers claim. But its ability to hide in plain sight and light weight is what excites researchers most.

"It already attracts attention from birds in the area which tends to hide its presence," said John Gerdes, a mechanical engineer with the U.S. Army Research Laboratory Vehicle Technology Directorate at APG.

Seagulls, songbirds and sometimes crows tend to try to fly in a formation near the bird during testing, but birds of prey, like falcons and hawks take a much more aggressive approach toward test flights.

"Generally we don't see them coming," Gerdes said. "They will dive and attack by hitting the bird from above with their talons, then they typically fly away."

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