Topic: Dinosaur Is Inspiration For Drone Design

USA Today
October 6, 2008
Pg. 3


A paleontologist and aeronautical engineer have joined forces to create a military drone inspired by a flying dinosaur. The Brazilian pterodactyl, or Tapejara wellnhoferi, was about the size of a Canada goose, and had a large, thin, rudder-like sail on its head, Texas Tech paleontologist Sankar Chatterjee said. Using a similar rudder, Chatterjee said the 30-inch drone designed with Univerity of Florida aeronautical engineer Rick Lind should be able to fly over combat zones and collect information for military commaders. A team of University of Florida students will begin building it this fall and should be done in about four months, Lind said.