Bird of Prey, an airplane inspired by the eagle’s wings

We know very well that Airbus has recently implemented biomimesis in its designs, and this was no exception, since during the Royal International Air Tattoo held in the United Kingdom, they presented their new concept of a plane inspired by the wings of an eagle called “Bird of Prey”.

The design has wings that end with thin metal lines very similar to the feathers of these birds, in addition, it will not have a vertical rear tail like conventional airplanes, but will be divided into three sections to reduce resistance, and that is not Everything! Each of the “feathers” of the wings can be individually controlled to gain lift and take advantage of thermal currents.

According to statements by the Airbus team, this aircraft can be powered by four turbo-propeller engines, which thanks to the design would have a 30% to 50% reduction in fuel compared to current aircraft; which would be a great achievement, taking into account that the intention of using “biomimicry” as a basis to produce these new designs is to make aviation more sustainable, silent and respectful of the environment, since the aeronautical industry is in the eye of the hurricane due to polluting emissions.

“Bird of Prey” will have a capacity of 80 passengers and a range of 1,500 kilometers, in addition to a fully composed structure in the fuselage.

Airbus said it will not be a project to materialize in the near future, but a prototype designed to motivate the new generation of designers in the aerospace sector demonstrating that surprising, functional and sustainable designs can be achieved as the industry seeks.