Hopping into the future
Picture a bird and you’re likely to imagine it mid-flight. But birds spend a lot of their time walking around or hopping from A to B in the hope of spotting some accidentally dropped food.?
Won Dong Shin, a doctoral student at EPFL’s Laboratory of Intelligent Systems spent some time observing how birds move and realised they tend to walk, hop, and jump more than they use their wings to enter flight mode.?
Inspired by this concept, he set out with his team to develop a drone that would mimic the way a bird moves. “What I consistently observed was that they always jumped to initiate flight, even in situations where they could have used only their wings,” he said.?
Most drones today have fixed wings, which means they need runways or catapults for take-off.?
But this new bird-inspired drone, which features legs and even toes, is proving that the greatest inspiration for innovation is right in front of us.?
The Robotic Avian-inspired Vehicle for multiple ENvironments drone, known as RAVEN, can simply use its tendon-like springs and flexible toes to “jump” into flight-mode.?
Jumping for takeoff is found to be about ten times more energy-efficient than standing takeoff. This means that despite the added complexity and weight of the legs (about 230 grams), the drone’s jumping mechanism makes it more efficient overall in converting energy to kinetic and potential energy for flight.?
RAVEN can also move on the ground by walking and hopping, making it more versatile than typical drones. This allows it to navigate obstacles and use its legs in ways that other drones cannot.
The team at EPFL is now exploring ways to incorporate a vision system for obstacle avoidance and landing, as well as folding wings to enable the drone to pass through narrow spaces.
Drones like RAVEN could eventually be used on ships to inspect confined areas without needing the additional space drones today require.?
Plus, the multifunctional nature of RAVEN’s legs means that not only can it take off and land from difficult areas, but it can also move in a variety of ways, such as hopping over obstacles or walking across uneven surfaces.?
If you would like to find out more about drones in the maritime industry, check out Thetius’ latest research here. It is free to Thetius IQ subscribers, but if you haven’t signed up yet and would like to learn more about what Thetius IQ offers, request a call back here.
LATEST NEWS
In shipping and maritime news this week, Hapag-Lloyd has reduced its emissions thanks to?Shipshave’s In Transit Cleaning of Hull (ITCH) solution. One vessel achieved a 16% performance improvement, cutting fuel consumption by approximately 8.4 tons daily, while the second saw a 5% reduction.
Belgian shipping company EXMAR has agreed a deal to implement the vessel performance optimisation platform developed by maritime tech start-up Toqua across its fleet.
Subsea Global Solutions has gained approval from Singaporean authorities to perform eco-friendly hull cleaning using an advanced cleaning remotely operated vehicle (C-ROV) technology.
Maersk has reached agreements with three shipyards for the construction of 20 container vessels featuring dual-fuel engines. The new vessels, which will have a combined capacity of 300,000 twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU).
The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) and MISC have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to strengthen collaboration in innovation, research and development (R&D) and test-bedding activities. The MoU aims to advance digital transformation in the maritime industry.
The Georgia Ports Authority (GPA) has announced plans to enhance operational sustainability in Savannah and Brunswick, supported by three federal grants totalling over US$120 million.
The Port of Tyne has officially launched the Green North Sea Shipping Corridor Project, connecting the UK to Amsterdam.
The Hambantota International Port Group (HIPG) has announced a significant investment of $41 million in crane technology, set to be fully operational by January 2025.
A software vendor in the US truckload industry that provides sales and compliance products to freight brokers and carriers said it is offering a free tracking service to combat cargo theft.
?If you would like to stay on top of the latest maritime headlines, check out Thetius IQ. It’s a one-stop shop for all maritime news, research, and in-depth articles, and features a comprehensive organisation database.
The latest insight from the Thetius team
Free Report: New Waters: How the S-100 Data Framework Will Shape E-Navigation??
This report, created in partnership with the UK Hydrographic Office, explores the technological advancements since that pivotal moment, highlighting how the evolution of computing power and navigation standards has shaped today’s maritime industry. By examining the progression from early digital solutions to current innovations, we offer valuable insights into the ongoing transformation of maritime navigation and its future trajectory.?
?Things are changing in maritime navigation. Operations are digitalising and the rapid rise of e-navigation is evident. 32 years after introducing S-57, the IHO is preparing for a new data framework that meets the evolving needs of the mariner. This new data framework is known as S-100 and promises to lay the foundations to tackle the growing complexity of modern navigation.?
Cyber Security Survey
We’re looking into cyber risk management in the maritime industry and would love your help! The results of this research will be published in Q2 2025, and your insights could make a big difference in shaping how our industry tackles this critical challenge.
It’s a quick survey which will take just a few minutes of your time. All answers submitted will remain completely anonymous. By sharing your perspective, you’ll be helping to create a clearer picture of cyber risks and how they are being managed across the maritime sector.
Did you miss our latest webinar?
If you missed our recent one-hour webinar on the S-100 data framework, don’t worry, you can still catch up on what you missed!
This session delved into how S-100, the International Hydrographic Organization’s new standard, is set to drive the next wave of digital navigation. Designed to support a safer, more efficient, and environmentally compliant maritime sector, S-100 is laying the groundwork for a data-connected future in navigation. Our expert panel covered key topics, offering insight into S-100’s benefits and challenges, as well as insights and recommendations for the shift from S-57 to S-100.?
New articles released since last week's edition of The Brief
Technology and People, Two Pillars of Digital Transformation in Shipping
All digital technology requires data. Therefore, the pathway to digital transformation has its origins in effective data management. Data management is defined as the approach to the collection, storage, analysis, utilisation, and exchange of data. Without effective data management in place, an organisation will never be able to move beyond the most foundational level of digital maturity.
For further insight into the pillars highlighted in this article, take a look at our thought leadership report, produced in collaboration with?Lloyd’s Register,?The Benchmark: Measuring the Progress of Digital Transformation in Ship Operations.
The introduction of the S-100 framework?
In the summer of 1992, the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) made the pioneering move of officially introducing the Electronic Navigational Charts (ENC) standard, S-57.
This was an important step for the maritime industry, bringing in the standardisation of digital hydrographic data, making the exchange of this data between different systems and organisations more efficient, and pushing the concept of digital charting. For the first time, S-57 allowed for the creation and distribution of ENCs. But this radical shift took a few years to stabilise.
For further insight into the areas highlighted in this article, download our latest thought leadership report ‘New Waters’, created in partnership with the UK Hydrographic Office.
Assuring AI in Maritime
The global flow of goods and materials is made possible by the trillion-dollar shipping industry. With 11 billion tons of cargo transported by ship each year, responsible, safe, and reliable practices are essential. Assurance is necessary to reduce risk and ensure shipping companies operate safe, reliable, and compliant vessels.
To learn more about AI and its use in the maritime industry, read our thought leadership report, produced in collaboration with?Lloyd’s Register,?Beyond the Horizon, Opportunities and Obstacles in the Maritime AI Boom.?You can download a copy of the report here.
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