Updated

Updated · ZME Science · Jul 9

MIT, EPFL Build 250-Gram Robot That Flies and Swims, Launching From Water on Wings Alone

Updated

Updated · ZME Science · Jul 9

MIT, EPFL Build 250-Gram Robot That Flies and Swims, Launching From Water on Wings Alone

Q: How does this puffin-inspired robot master both air and sea without the complex parts engineers once thought were essential?

It works by copying a key trick used by small diving birds: keeping the same basic mechanics in air and water, and changing speed and body angle rather than switching to heavy transforming parts. MIT and EPFL’s robot uses one simple propulsion system for both media — a tiny waterproof motor and crankshaft that flap two flexible, nanoparticle-coated wings. Those wings are the breakthrough. They are soft enough to move efficiently underwater, where the robot cruises at about 1 meter per second, but stiff enough to generate lift in air, where it can fly at roughly 6 meters per second. Researchers found that the right balance of wing size, flexibility and flapping frequency was enough, making foldable wings, extra paddles or other complex mechanisms unnecessary. The team also stripped out parts many engineers assumed were essential. The robot has no legs or feet for takeoff, even though real puffins and ducks often use them. Instead, it relies on wing thrust and a steerable tail to control pitch. To break through surface tension, it approaches the surface at a steep 70-degree angle and increases flapping power, allowing it to leap from water into flight using wings alone. Its lightweight design also helps. At under 300 grams, with individually waterproofed components and neutral buoyancy, it can operate submerged without a heavy sealed body. The result is a simpler, lighter robot that uses material design and biomechanics — not complex moving parts — to master both air and sea.

3 articles · Updated · ZME Science · Jul 9

FAAV — a 250-gram untethered robot from MIT and EPFL — can cruise at 6.3 m/s in air, swim at nearly 1 m/s, and burst from water back into flight without propellers or paddling feet.
One small motor drives flexible membrane wings that bend by up to 90% underwater to cut load, then stiffen enough in air to generate lift; waterproofing added just 13 grams, about 5% of total weight.
The water-to-air jump remains the hardest maneuver: it takes less than a second, about 8 to 10 wing strokes, and a roughly 70-degree launch angle, with diving and takeoff demonstrated separately rather than as a full mission cycle.
Tests also suggested smaller wings boost underwater speed rather than efficiency and that wing-only launches are so power-hungry heavier diving birds likely need their feet for extra thrust.
The Science study points to low-cost coastal and ocean monitoring, with the team estimating one charge could cover about 6 kilometers in flight or 2 kilometers underwater; autonomy is still to come.

Sources

ZME Science5h ago

MIT and EPFL Develop FAAV: A 250-Gram Flapping-Wing Robot Mimicking Diving Birds for Aerial-Aquatic Transitions

Tech Xplore5h ago

Birdlike robot swims underwater, then flaps into flight without paddling

Interesting Engineering5h ago

MIT, EPFL Engineers Create Flapping-Wing Robot That Can Fly and Swim

6 Sources

How does this puffin-inspired robot master both air and sea without the complex parts engineers once thought were essential?

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The 300g Dual-Medium Robot: How Bioinspired Engineering Achieved Seamless Flight and Underwater Swimming

Overview

On July 9, 2026, engineers from MIT and EPFL announced a major breakthrough in robotics with the unveiling of a flapping-wing aerial-aquatic vehicle (FAAV). This innovative robot, inspired by diving birds like puffins and petrels, can seamlessly switch between flying in the air and swimming underwater. The FAAV’s design mimics the efficiency of these birds in both environments, marking a significant leap forward in robotics. This unique capability opens up new possibilities for research and practical applications, demonstrating how bioinspiration can drive technological advancements.

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