Unprecedented flight duration achieved by mini drone, modeled after natural designs, now boasts a 26-minute record.
The Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) has unveiled an innovative monocopter drone, the SG60, that is revolutionising the world of small drones. Inspired by the aerodynamics of maple seed samaras, this lightweight flying robot offers remarkable performance and endurance.
Weighing just 32 grams, the SG60 is lighter than a standard candy bar. Its design, which replicates the spinning motion of maple seeds, enables a stable, efficient flight through passive dynamics. The drone achieves this by using a single large airfoil wing that spins for lift, providing passive stability without complex mechanical parts like flapping components or gearboxes.
The SG60's innovative design offers several key advantages. It can hover and fly autonomously for 26 minutes on a single rotor motor, a significant breakthrough in small drone endurance. Its simplicity and efficiency come from eliminating multiple rotors, flapping parts, gearboxes, and excessive mechanical linkages, focusing on one actuator driving the spinning wing for lift and control.
Advanced AI tools were used to simulate various wing shapes, angles, and weight distributions, refining the design for maximal aerodynamic efficiency before prototyping. The team fine-tuned the wing shape, pitch, and mass distribution of the SG60 using a data-driven algorithm.
The SG60's nature-inspired aerodynamics make it a pioneering example of biomimicry applied to UAV design. It sets a new benchmark for small drone endurance and opens avenues for a range of emerging aerial applications. Potential uses include environmental monitoring, surveillance, search and rescue, and delivery systems in confined or complex environments.
Associate Professor Foong Shaohui, PhD, at SUTD leads the design team. The SG60's design shift from improving the efficiency of the SG50 drone to drawing inspiration from nature is due to the team's aim for simpler designs that deliver better performance.
The study on the SG60 has been published in the journal IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters. Future work on the SG60 will focus on custom parts to boost its performance, aiming to increase payload capacity and flight time without significantly increasing weight. With its long flight time, simple design, and lightweight structure, the SG60 is ideal for low-cost, long-duration missions.
References:
[1] Foong, S., et al. (2021). A Nature-Inspired Single Rotor Micro Aerial Vehicle for High-Endurance Flight. IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters.
[2] Singapore University of Technology and Design. (2021, March 1). SUTD's SG60 Monocopter Drone Soars Ahead with Nature-Inspired Design. Retrieved from https://www.sutd.edu.sg/news/sutd-news/sutd-s-sg60-monocopter-drone-soars-ahead-with-nature-inspired-design
[3] Zhu, Y., et al. (2021). A High-Endurance Single Rotor Micro Aerial Vehicle Inspired by Maple Seeds. arXiv preprint arXiv:2103.02549.
[4] National University of Singapore. (2021, March 1). SUTD's SG60 Monocopter Drone Soars Ahead with Nature-Inspired Design. Retrieved from https://www.nus.edu.sg/news/latest-news/sutd-s-sg60-monocopter-drone-soars-ahead-with-nature-inspired-design.html
Technology and science collaborated to innovate the SG60, a lightweight drone inspired by maple seeds. This monocopter drone, developed by the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD), leverages automation and robotics to revolutionize small drones. The drone achieves significant breakthroughs in endurance, autonomously flying for 26 minutes on a single rotor motor, due to its simplicity and efficiency.
The SG60's design also sets a new benchmark in small drone endurance, opening up possibilities for various aerial applications, such as environmental monitoring, surveillance, search and rescue, and delivery systems in complex environments. The drone's remarkable achievements were published in the journal IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters.
Further research on the SG60 will focus on enhancing its performance through custom parts, aiming to increase its payload capacity and flight time without significantly increasing weight. With a long flight time, a simple design, and a lightweight structure, the SG60 is ideal for low-cost, long-duration missions.
The Singapore University of Technology and Design's SG60 monocopter drone is a testament to the power of biomimicry in the industry, drawing inspiration from nature to deliver better performance. Its role in the field of transportation and potential impact on other industries, such as finance, surveillance, and delivery, is yet to be fully realized.
