New inspection drone uses wind to lengthen flight times

Harry Vourtsis, CEO and co-founder, and Nathan Müller, co-founder of the start-up © 2023 Alain Herzog Elythor, an EPFL spin-off, has developed a new drone whose wing shape can adapt to wind conditions and flight position in real time, reducing the drone's energy consumption. What's more, the position of the wings can change, allowing the drone to fly vertically or horizontally. These features make it a perfect candidate for inspecting power plants. For centuries humans have been fascinated by how easily birds glide through the air. Their instinctive ability to use wind to their advantage is what inspired Morpho, the new inspection drone developed by Elythor. Part winged drone, part quadcopter, Morpho is a hybrid unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that can change shape according to the task at hand. Its adaptive wings extend the drone's flight time and give it greater maneuverability.