The Serenity ornithopter is a nature-inspired aircraft mimicking dragonfly flight patterns on a larger scale.
Looking back at aircraft history, we can see that air travel has been significantly transformed over the last century. With all the advancements in the current era, engineers have come up with different innovations that have genuinely redefined how we travel.
Speaking of which, a team of Russian engineers designed a new aircraft inspired by mother nature itself. Drawing inspiration from dragonflies, these engineers have developed a new type of aircraft, showcasing how these creatures can innovate air travel once more. Interestingly enough, this aircraft not only looks like a dragonfly but also uses the same flight method.
Known as Serenity, this six-winged tubular aircraft prototype measures ten feet long and is relatively lightweight too. Although this is not exactly the first time airborne insects or animals inspire an aircraft’s design, the Serenity has the potential to be scaled up to redefine the means of air transport. However, despite not being exactly small, it cannot seat any passengers yet. However, according to the creators, there is a lot of room for modifications that could allow seats to be added later down the road.
Just like a real dragonfly, this Russian ornithopter flaps its three sets of wings in a constant up-and-down motion. However, one downside is that the pilot or any passengers inside would not have a very comfortable experience. That being said, further improvements could make the experience more bearable. We have to keep in mind that this is still just a first prototype—the first cars weren’t that comfortable either.
It is also worth noting that this aircraft can’t hover in mid-air at the moment, but despite having some shortcomings, it still shows some exciting potential if further developed in the years to come.
More details to come!
