This stabilization system for camera-equipped drones was modeled after a swan

Shawn Knight

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Researchers from Stanford University are turning to an unlikely source of inspiration to help improve video captured by aerial drones.

The whooper swan (pronounced hooper) is able to keep its head incredibly stable as it soars through the air, even when making aggressive maneuvers. High-speed video help researchers determine that a swan’s neck functions much like the suspension on a vehicle, allowing it to passively counter the motion created by flapping its wings.

Armed with this knowledge, the team was able to create a mechanical camera stabilization system that’s quite remarkable.

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