A team of researchers from Beihang University in China has set a world record for the longest flight time of an ornithopter, a drone that flies with mechanical wings.
The drone is powered by a lithium-ion battery, weighs 1.6 kilograms and has a wingspan of two meters. Ornithopter can reach speeds up to 10 m/s.
Bird-like drone sets world record for longest flight range.
The record was set in an open field on the outskirts of Beijing when the winged throne stayed in the air for one hour, 30 minutes and 4.98 seconds.
According to Chinese media, previous ornithopter records did not exceed the half-hour mark. The team, led by researcher Zhao Longwei, applied to break the record in October 2021.
The idea of the first ornithopter appeared in 1485 by Leonardo da Vinci. During initial tests, the Chinese drone has already flown 53 minutes. After optimizing the power plant and the dynamics of the wing, its flight characteristics have almost doubled.
Ornithopters imitate the flight of birds, bats and insects. According to the Chinese researcher, the development of this kind of technology will help develop new innovative aircraft models, scare away birds near airports, and even create probes to explore Mars.