Amid the growing swarm of small commercial drones being launched into the skies these days, Festo’s new dragonfly-inspired BionicOpter truly stands out. Equipped with four independently adjustable, motorized wings made from carbon fiber and foil, the ultra-lightweight craft (less than a third of a pound) is capable of flying backwards, moving laterally, hovering in place, and gliding. Essentially, it seeks to combine the best features of a helicopter and a glider, and is controlled via a smartphone interface.
via The Verge
