The pterosaur, a winged creature that soared over the heads of dinosaurs 115 million years ago, today debuted as the model for a flying robotic spy. A paleontologist from Texas Tech University, an engineer from the University of Florida, and their students presented plans for the “Pterodrone” at a joint conference in Houston of the Geological Society of America and two other scientific groups.
The researchers, led by Sankar Chatterjee from Texas Tech and Richard Lind from Florida, decided to use the pterosaur as a model because it could walk, fly, and sail over the water. Flexibility will be key to successful drones, which have to operate in varied environments, the researchers said. Their design features a vertical tail at the front of the drone, which makes tight turns easier, and limbs that change shape for maneuvering on land, air, and sea.
This may be the only military aircraft that is deliberately out of date before it even makes it off the drawing board. Obsolete projects for the military are usually blamed on forces beyond their control. —Josh Fischman
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