Researchers at TU Delft have developed a drone that uses touch, rather than relying entirely on vision, to find and grip branches. Inspired by birds, the drone uses a lightweight three-fingered robotic hand equipped with nine tactile sensors to detect a branch’s position and orientation as it approaches. The drone follows a search pattern while opening and closing its fingers until it makes contact with a branch. It then adjusts its position and grip until all three fingers have stable contact. Once securely perched, the fingers remain closed using springs, allowing the drone to switch off its motors and save battery power. The approach could make drones more reliable in cluttered environments where cameras are easily obstructed, such as forest canopies and industrial structures. More broadly, the research demonstrates how touch can be used not only to avoid contact, but as a valuable source of information for helping robots interact with their surroundings.
