Scientists have invented a robot that flies like a bird and uses real feathers – could this be the future of fighter jets?

Have you ever seen a bird flying through the sky, twisting and turning effortlessly, and wondered: why can’t airplanes do that? Scientists have been trying to answer this question for years, especially around a special design choice in aircraft: the vertical tail fin. This stabilizer is crucial for stable flight, but adds weight and drag. Without this, planes would be much more economical. So why hasn’t aviation solved this bird-like mystery yet?

It turns out that the key to solving this riddle may have been hidden in plain sight, or more accurately, in a pigeon’s feathers.

A robot with real feathers

PigeonBot II is a robot bird built by David Lentink, professor Biomimetics at the University of Groningen, and his team. Unlike the average flying robot, this one isn’t just inspired by nature; It is decorated with real pigeon feathers and mimics how birds adjust their wings and tails in flight.
Using nine servo motors and a smart algorithm, PigeonBot II reflexively reshapes its wings and tail, just like real birds. These adaptive movements provide stabilization without the need for a vertical fin, demonstrating a feat of engineering once thought impossible.

In 1929, German scientist Franz Groebbels suggested that birds fly like “automatic airplanes,” stabilizing themselves without external controls. Nearly a century later, Lentink’s PigeonBot II finally proved him right. The robot not only passed wind tunnel tests, but also hovered autonomously in the open air, its feathers responding seamlessly to every gust and tilt.

From feathered flights to fighter jets

What does this mean for aviation? First, PigeonBot II opens the door to fuel-efficient aircraft. By dropping the vertical fin and using bird-inspired stabilization, planes can save energy and reduce emissions – good news for environmentally conscious travelers.

But there’s another exciting twist: stealthy fighter jets. An aircraft without a vertical tail fin has a smaller radar signature, making it more difficult to detect. Imagine fighter jets floating invisibly, twisting and turning like birds of prey in the sky.

The European Airbus group already envisions this type of aircraft without a tail fin, and Lentink’s work provides the scientific basis to make this a reality.

Why feathers make the difference

What makes bird wings so special? Previous research by Lentink showed that feathers are not only decorative, but also play an active role during flight. Birds use their feathers to adjust wing shape in real time, an ability that PigeonBot II replicates. Unlike rigid airplane wings, feathered wings provide flexibility and reflexive movements, adapt to turbulence and maintain balance. It is the natural version of a high-tech stabilization system, honed over millions of years of evolution.

While we’re not quite at the stage of boarding feathered jumbo jets yet, PigeonBot II is a big step forward. From greener commercial planes to stealthy fighter jets, this quirky little robot could redefine the future of flight.

The findings of this study have been published in Science Robotics and accessible here.