Design and Analysis of a Novel Bio-Inspired Aerial Robot Based on Bionic Bird Claws

This paper presents a novel perching mechanism and control method for an aerial robot equipped with bionic bird claws. The system comprises a coaxial octo-copter UAV and a pair of bionic claws specifically designed for perching. Firstly, the bionic claws are developed utilizing tendon-locking and automatic digit-flexor mechanisms. A prototype of both the UAV and the claws has been developed and introduced. Subsequently, the kinematics of the leg is analyzed. Motion planning for UAV landing and perching are then addressed. Finally, the load capacity of the claw is evaluated, and a series of experiments-including ground takeoff and landing, branch perching, and object grasping are conducted with the prototype. The results demonstrate that the bionic claws can support a maximum load of 6083.41 g, achieving a load-to-weight ratio of 27. The prototype exhibits stable capabilities for ground takeoff and landing, a vertical branch perching success rate of 60%, and a grasping success rate ranging from 20% to 100% depending on the size of the payload.