By Peter Witten, AAU Communication and Public Affairs
Photo/video: Andrei Copaci

It almost looks like something out of a James Bond movie.
It hovers in the air - and suddenly dives into the water and "swims" around like an advanced underwater gadget.

But this isn’t from a spy film - it’s a hybrid drone developed by four bachelor students from AAU Energy. The drone can both fly and operate underwater.

Stunning video

A video featuring their unique drone has attracted attention. In the YouTube video, the drone is seen flying around before diving into a large pool.
Underwater footage shows how the drone is controlled below the surface, and then it flies vertically out of the pool and back down again. A combination of a regular drone and an underwater drone.

The hybrid drone was created by the four bachelor students Andrei Copaci, Pawel Kowalczyk, Krzysztof Sierocki, and Mikolaj Dzwigalo at AAU Energy in Esbjerg.

Over two semesters, they developed the drone as their bachelor’s project. The hybrid drone is, of course, waterproof, and the angle of the propeller blades can be remotely controlled, allowing the drone to both fly and "swim."

The four students describe the development of the hybrid drone as a significant advancement in robotics.

They manufactured the drone’s components themselves at AAU, using, among other tools, a 3D printer and CNC/computer-controlled production equipment.

Remarkable achievement

"The team has demonstrated impressive collaboration skills, creativity, and perseverance. After countless hours in the lab, they transformed their idea into a functional prototype in just one year. It’s a remarkable achievement for an interdisciplinary student team," says Associate Professor Petar Durdevic from AAU Energy, who, along with Associate Professor Mads Valentin Bram, supervised the four students.

The students’ hybrid drone is a prototype, and the technology has the potential to be used in many areas - for example, ship inspections, search and rescue operations, and military applications.

Also in the U.S. and China

According to international websites, prototypes of hybrid drones have previously been developed in the U.S. and China. In 2015, researchers at Rutgers University in New Jersey created a hybrid drone.