Morpho (drone)

2023: Product Announcement

On May 5, 2023, the Lausanne Federal Polytechnic School (EPFL) announced the creation of the world's first unmanned aerial vehicle, which is able to reconfigure its own wings to reduce resistance to wind gusts.

The Morpho VTOL drone (vertical take-off and landing) was created by specialists from the Swiss startup Elithor, which is a subsidiary of EPFL. The drone received an aerodynamic body in the form of a bullet with four propellers in the style of a quadcopter. In addition, the design provides for the presence of four wings, each of which can independently change position in relation to the main module.

Morpho drone

On the ground, the drone is in a vertical position: at the same time, the wings are inclined down - in this orientation they perform the functions of a tripod. During takeoff, the drone uses feedback from on-board sensors to adjust the position of each wing to minimize the impact of crosswind. If the device needs to move in the direction in which the wind blows, it uses its wings as "sails," which significantly reduces energy consumption and increases battery life.

When the drone needs to fly forward with a "fixed" wing, it turns to a horizontal position, and the wings transform into a biplane-like configuration. In lateral gusts of wind, the drone can position the wings in an asymmetric orientation to minimize the impact of air flows.

Morpho is expected to be used to inspect power lines, power plants, wind turbines and offshore oil platforms. Since the wings can be pressed against the body, the device is able to fly very close to objects during inspection. Moving between inspection sites, the drone can switch to a faster and more energy efficient flight with a fixed wing.^[1]

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