Spy Drones -- Going Back To The Past For Future Planes

Like its inspiration, an extinct pterodactyl, the Pterodrone spy plane would sport a crest on its nose for steering. Credit: Brian Roberts. (Photo from Live Science)

New Flying Dinosaur Drone to Resemble Pterodactyl
-- Live Science

Pterodactyls may have gone extinct millions of years ago, but a newly designed spy plane could bring the flying reptiles to life, albeit replacing blood and guts with carbon fiber and batteries.

"The next generation of airborne drones won't just be small and silent," the design team announced recently. "They'll alter their wing shapes using morphing techniques to squeeze through confined spaces, dive between buildings, zoom under overpasses, land on apartment balconies, or sail along the coastline."

Called Pterodrone, the spy plane is about the size of a crow but with a much larger wingspan that reaches nearly 32 inches (80 cm).

Its design will be inspired by one of the savviest movers of the Cretaceous, a pterosaur called Tapejara wellnhoferi. This ancient reptile was a morphing machine. On land, Tapejara walked on four legs before rearing up on its two back limbs and running to reach takeoff speed. Once airborne, the beast could cruise at some 19 mph (30 km/h), according to the researchers.

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