Small helicopters propelled by four rotors are used to collect data for agriculture and military uses. But they lack the battery power for continuous flight. Beau Freckleton, a student majoring in mechanical engineering, has been working on that problem for almost three years. He is creating a way helicopters can perch like birds, so they can recharge using solar energy and complete data collection in less time. Freckleton used a 3-D printer to create prototypes for the helicopter. He created landing gear that is light enough for the helicopter to carry and sturdy enough to support the weight.
