Science Daily July 26, 2018
An international team of researchers (Switzerland, Japan) has developed an origami structure which consists of a prestretched elastomeric membrane, akin to the soft resilin joints of insect wings, sandwiched between rigid tiles, akin to the rigid cuticles of insect wings. The dual-stiffness properties of the structure are validated by using the origami as an element of a quadcopter frame that can withstand aerodynamic forces within its flight envelope but softens during collisions to avoid permanent damage… read more. TECHNICAL ARTICLE
The drone’s resilience comes from a unique combination of stiff and elastic layers. Credit: Alain Herzog / EPFL