Researchers at The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) are working to apply the principles of bird flight to improve drone technology. The project, known as Albatross, recently received a multimillion-dollar grant from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). It aims to develop uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) that can fly more efficiently by mimicking how birds use wind and rising air currents.
John Bird, Ph.D., assistant professor of aerospace and mechanical engineering at UTEP and an expert in soaring science, is a member of the Albatross team. Bird noted that DARPA often supports research that expands technological boundaries and has led to innovations such as self-driving cars and disaster relief robots.
“We are excited for the opportunity to explore the science of autonomous soaring and develop technology which could dramatically reduce the amount of energy UAS require,” he said.
Bird explained that when the Sun heats the Earth’s surface, warm air rises. Birds can glide through these rising pockets of air without flapping their wings, conserving energy by staying aloft longer. By moving between areas where air is descending and rising, birds travel efficiently over long distances.
The Albatross project seeks to adapt this natural method for drones, especially those operating over extended ranges. “These air patterns are small, short-lived and random, and they’re not going to be picked up by a weather model,” Bird said. “So how can you incorporate all of these unknowns — including potential energy savings — into a reliable flight plan for an aircraft? That’s the question we are trying to answer.”
Afroza Shirin, Ph.D., co-investigator on the project and assistant professor in aerospace and mechanical engineering at UTEP, pointed out that while autonomous soaring is not new, applying it to long-distance uncrewed aircraft could lead to significant energy savings.
She said, “Like birds gliding on rising air, autonomous soaring enables uncrewed aircraft to extract maximum soaring energy from the wind, reducing onboard power use and extending their flight range.”
Albatross also includes researchers from Mississippi State University and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. The project’s name comes from a seabird known for its ability to glide vast distances with minimal wing flapping.
“Albatross are terrible at flapping their wings,” Bird joked. “Hence the need to find another way to fly.”
