I-BIRDS · Intelligent BIo-inspired flapping-wing aerial Robots for noise and air quality Data Sampling in environment conservation

I-BIRDS proposes the development of the first intelligent system capable of generating high-resolution 3D maps of noise and air quality in urban and industrial environments using bio-inspired flapping-wing robots. This system will significantly reduce the cost of manual sampling for noise and pollutant levels, as well as the deployment and maintenance of static sensor networks.Flapping-wing Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), also known as ornithopters, offer key advantages over conventional propeller-driven drones. They are quieter, safer, and better suited for operations in populated areas. In particular, the use of traditional UAVs is not suitable for noise sampling due to the internal noise generated by the propellers.I -BIRDS builds on the expertise of the Principal Investigator, who successfully developed ornithopters with an unparalleled level of autonomy, capable of stable and precise flight without human intervention. He also validated models and demonstrated that the combination of flapping and gliding is significantly more efficient than conventional UAV propulsion systems.With the new system, environmental sampling can be carried out with higher spatial resolution than static methods, at a lower cost—especially across large areas—and with minimal noise and enhanced safety, due to the absence of propellers and the use of low-weight, soft materials.I-BIRDS aims to increase the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of previous autonomous flapping-wing prototypes, delivering an innovative and disruptive solution for environmental monitoring. The objective is to integrate and test a fully functional system, obtain operational flight authorisation, and bring a viable product to market within a few months after the project concludes.