Humankind has come a long way in its quest to conquer the skies, from the clunky wooden planes of yesteryear to the sleek stealth jets of today. But despite those huge leaps in the field of aeronautics, technology has yet to catch up with the size, swiftness and agility of nature's most skillful flyers.
But now engineers from the U.S. Department of Defense are hoping to a learn a thing or two by studying these feathered masters - by hitching a ride on top of one of them.
In an attempt improve the close-quarters flying ability of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) recently sought out a forest-dwelling bird of prey to show them how its done.
Researchers strapped a small camera to the back of a goshawk, capturing some thrilling footage of her flying full speed through the woods, avoiding all obstacles in her path like the seasoned pro she is.
"Birds of prey and flying insects exhibit the kinds of capabilities we want for small UAVs," said Mark Micire, DARPA program manager, in a press release. "Goshawks, for example, can fly very fast through a dense forest without smacking into a tree."
The ease and speed with which birds, like this hawk, can soar through air has been a source of wonderment and inspiration since the dawn of history, though only now does technology that mirrors their abilities seem within reach.
Watch the entire video below:
