H/T: Gizmodo
Unlike other insects, the dragonfly’s wings use a rowing motion along an inclined stroke plane, which means when hovering, the body lies almost horizontal. In other words, its wings push backward, downward, and at the end of the stroke, feather and slice upward and forward. What if this was turned into a real-life flying machine? A group of Russian inventors decided to build such a machine, and came up with a remote-controlled ornithopter that can actually fly.
Called “Serenity,” this flying machine has a 10-foot-long fuselage, three sets of wings, and custom-built mechanisms to recreate flapping motion of a dragonfly. Sure, this version may not be suitable for a human to ride, but future models will be larger and have a more stable flapping motion that doesn’t bob around.
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