In a remarkable fusion of innovation and engineering, a group of students from Aalborg University in Denmark have built a hybrid drone that not only takes to the skies but also dives beneath the water with impressive agility.
The student team—Andrei Copaci, Pawel Kowalczyk, Krzysztof Sierocki, and Mikolaj Dzwigalo crafted a drone capable of seamless air-to-water transitions using a sophisticated variable pitch propeller system. These unique propellers allow the drone’s blades to shift angles to suit different environments, optimizing performance for both flight and submersion.
In a video released by the team, viewers can see the drone perform its aquatic acrobatics. It gracefully lifts off beside a pool, dives underwater like a submarine, and moments later, rockets back into the sky. The demonstration was repeated from various angles, highlighting the fluidity and responsiveness of the drone’s transitions.
“The development of an aerial underwater drone marks a major step forward in robotics, showing that a single vehicle can operate effectively in both air and water thanks to the use of variable pitch propellers,” the students shared.
While hybrid drones aren’t entirely new Rutgers University built a similar prototype in 2015, and Chinese researchers demonstrated another version in 2023, the Aalborg prototype stands out due to its elegant design and student-led initiative. Over two semesters, the team not only designed the drone but also engineered, built, and tested it, relying on tools like 3D printers and CNC machines for custom parts. A LinkedIn post by Petar Durdevic, associate professor and leader of the Offshore Drones and Robots group, celebrated their efforts.
One of the key engineering achievements was designing propellers that could adapt pitch dynamically: a higher angle for generating lift during flight and a lower one for efficient underwater movement. Additionally, the propellers could produce negative thrust, improving underwater maneuverability.
“We were surprised how seamlessly the drone transitions from water to air,” the students said.
Though currently just a prototype, the implications of this technology are wide-ranging. From military applications and vessel inspections to marine exploration and search and rescue missions, the potential use cases are vast. As the students noted, “A few of the applications are military, vessel inspections, marine exploration, search and rescue.”