Students Create Drone That Flies and Swims Underwater

Four engineering students at Aalborg University in Denmark have built a special kind of drone.

This device cannot only fly through the air but can also dive into water, moving just as easily underwater as it does above it.

The students, Andrei Copaci, Mikolaj Dzwigało, Paweł Kowalczyk, and Krzysztof Sierocki, worked on the project as part of their bachelor’s thesis.

In just two semesters, they managed to design, build, and test a working prototype from scratch.

For the drone to switch seamlessly from air to water, a process called a variable-pitch propeller system is used.

With this system, the angle of the propeller blades on the drone can be adjusted to suit whatever environment it may find itself.

If the drone is underwater, the blades are set to a lower pitch to allow it to move freely. In the air, the pitch is increased for stronger lift.

This design allows the same rotors to work well in both environments without needing separate systems.

In a short video shared on YouTube by team member Andrei Copaci, the drone shows off its abilities.

It first takes off from the ground, flies steadily through the air, then dips into a pool.

Underwater, it moves a short distance before rising back out and continuing to fly.

The switch from water and air looks seamless, meaning that the drone did not need to stop operation to change individual parts.

This shows just how well the drone adapts to its environment in real time.

The drone has a compact, circular body that holds its battery and control systems. Around this body are four evenly spaced arms, each with a two-blade rotor at the end.

This gives the drone stability while flying and balance while swimming underwater.

Its design looks like a more advanced version of a 2015 drone made by a Rutgers University team.

That older drone also has the ability to work in the air and water but relied on wired control and a different rotor setup.

It’s unclear whether the Aalborg students used that project as inspiration.

This isn’t the first time a multi-mode drone has made headlines. Just days ago, a DIY engineer revealed a 3D-printed model that could walk on land, fly in the air, and float on water.

With these kinds of innovations becoming more common, soon, hybrid drones could be integrated into certain jobs.

Jobs like search-and-rescue missions, underwater inspections, and environmental research will appreciate such tech.