Taxidermy birds are being turned into drones

Dead birds are getting a second chance at flying by being transformed into drones.

Researchers think that by creating avian drones using taxidermy birds, they can not only learn about flight but eventually use the drones to monitor wildlife.
"I originally got the idea to do this in 2011, but when I tried making [a bird drone] using artificial materials, I found that the wings weren't as efficient as real birds wings since they weren't flapping at the same angle," Mostafa Hassanalian(opens in new tab), an associate professor of mechanical engineering at the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology who led the project, told Live Science. "Flexibility of the wings is important, since they create lift and thrust."