Flapper Nimble+

Bioinspired development platform

Bioinspired Wing Actuation

Flapping wings with bioinspired control mechanisms for elegant insect-like flight

Safe & Collision Tolerant

Unlike propellers, soft flapping wings are safe and tolerate minor collisions much better

Positioning Systems

Compatible with various positioning systems (Lighthouse, UWB, Optical Motion Capture) for precise computer controlled indoor flight

Customizable
Appearance

Add programmable RGB LEDs or other decorations, customize the body panels or the wing design

Programmable
Swarm Operation

Compatible with open-source APIs and other software packages for swarm operations and drone shows

Applications

Flapper Nimble+ hovering using the Lighthouse System

Research & Development

  • Flight control
  • Flight dynamics modelling
  • Flapping wing aerodynamics
  • Swarming
  • Autonomous flight

Drone Shows & Entertainment

  • Indoor drone shows
  • Flying characters
  • Concerts
  • Theme parks
  • Theaters
Flapper Nimble+ demoed at Maker Faire

Education

  • Bioinspired robotics
  • Animal flight
  • Universities & high schools
  • Science museums

technical specifications

Wingspan

49 cm

Weight

102 g (min. take-off weight)
114 g (incl. shells and landing gear)
127 g (max. take-off weight recommended)

Payload Capacity

25 g (max. recommended)

Flapping Frequency

12 Hz (hover)
20 Hz (maximal throttle)

Actuators

2 x Brushless DC motor
2 x Coreless rotary servo (precision metal gears)

ESCs

TinyPEPPER2 open-hardware design by fishpepper.de

Battery

LiPo 2S 300 mAh

Flight Time

8 min (forward 3 m/s, min. weight)
5 min (hover, max. payload)

Flight Controller

Crazyflie Bolt 1.1 (Bitcraze AB)

RC Flight

2.4 GHz transmitter
Mobile App (Android & iOS)

Autonomous Flight

Open-source crazyflie firmware
Open-source Python API

Wireless Connectivity

nRF51822 (PC with Crazyradio,
TX with Multimodule, Android & iOS App)

Additional Features

microSD slot (data logging)
WS2812b RGB LED interface (3.8 V, max 1A)

Expansion Interfaces

Expansion connector for Crazyflie addon decks
External receiver (CPPM, 2S)
VCC (3.0V, max 100mA)
VCOM (5V, max 300mA)
I2C (400kHz), SPI, 2 x UART, 4 x GPIO/CS for SPI

Key Features

Bioinspired Wing Actuation

  • Flapping-wings for propulsion & control, no propellers

Precise Hover & Flight in any Direction 

  • Vertical climb/descent
  • Flight forward/backward and sideways
  • Turning

Agile Maneuvers

Ready for Autonomous Flight

  • Open-source firmware & API
  • Live telemetry & onboard data logging
  • Payload capacity for addon sensors

Customizable Appearance

  • Programmable RGB LEDs, 3D printable shells

All Parts Available as Spares

 

Purchasing Options

Flapper Nimble+ (Starter Kit)

1 x Flapper Nimble+ robot
1 x 2.4 GHz Transmitter*
2 x Wing set (1 + 1 spare)
2 x Battery (1 + 1 spare)
1 x Landing gear
1 x Body shell set
1 x Wear-and-tear spares set
1 x Wing repair tape
1 x USB battery charger
1 x Crazyradio USB dongle
1 x Flight case (46 x 33 x 15 cm)

*Actual model may vary from the photos

Flapper Nimble+ (Base Kit)

1 x Flapper Nimble+ robot
1 x Wing set
1 x Battery
1 x Landing gear
1 x Wear-and-tear spares set
1 x Wing repair tape
1 x USB battery charger
1 x Flight case (46 x 33 x 15 cm)

Tailor-made configurations available upon inquiry
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