MIT and EPFL build a robo-puffin that flies and swims

Engineers at MIT and EPFL have designed a flapping-wing aerial-aquatic vehicle (FAAV) weighing under 300 grams that can dive into water, swim, and leap back into the air. Tank and Lake Geneva tests showed medium-size flexible wings, bird-like flapping frequencies, and a 70-degree pitch enable the water-to-air transition.

• The robot weighs under 300 grams and has hydrophobic nanoparticle-coated wings
• It can launch from water at a 70-degree pitch without any feet
• Tests took place in a water tank and Lake Geneva
• It is intended to sample aquatic areas too dangerous for vessels