MIT Builds 0.5-Pound Robot That Flies and Dives on One Wing Set

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 · TechSpot · Jul 11

Less than 1 second is all the new robot needs to burst from water into flight, using the same flapping wings for swimming and flying without extra transition hardware.
Half-pound weight and a nearly 3-foot wingspan come from design trade-offs inspired by puffins: no legs, no folding wing joints, and flexible nylon-and-carbon-fiber wings that flap 5 to 6 times per second in air and about 10 times to break the surface.
An open body lets water flood the frame while individually waterproofed components keep the craft light enough to fly and neutrally buoyant underwater, avoiding the weight of a fully sealed hull.
Science published the work as MIT's team positions the robot for coastal monitoring, with an estimated range of nearly 4 miles in air or a little over 1 mile underwater and future versions planned to carry sensors.

Sources

TechSpot6d ago

MIT Researchers Develop Robot That Flies and Dives Using Same Wings

Interesting Engineering7d ago

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

MIT News8d ago

New flapping robot swims and flies like a diving bird | MIT News | Massachusetts Institute of Technology

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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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