DIY engineer 3D-prints a robot that can fly, swim, and walk – NotebookCheck.net News
3D-printing has come a long way — from crude plastic prototypes to fully functional metal parts and human tissue scaffolds. What began as a rapid prototyping tool is now reshaping manufacturing, medicine, aerospace, and even food production.
In a recent testament to the capability of modern 3D printing technology, a Chinese DIY engineer 3D-printed a fully functional amphibious drone. He designed the parts for the robot and used a 3D printing service provider to bring them to life, with the parts delivered to his doorstep.
The shape of the robot looks turtle- or tortoise-inspired. The robot has 6 legs — 2 fore legs and 4 hinds legs. This design means it can navigate terrains that traditional wheeled robots cannot. It also has 3 rotors — two by the sides and one behind. To fly, the 3 rotors assume vertical positions, allowing it to fly with stability. For swimming, the two side-rotors assume a horizontal position, while the hind-rotor maintains a vertical position. The two side-rotors rotate, pushing the robot forward in water.
One thing that is helping this robot go viral is the fact that the creator also showed it to be a miniature missile launcher; firing small missiles from the robot in his demonstration. This led to speculations it could birth a generation of weaponized multi-terrain autonomous drones. In the demonstration video, the robot waddled through puddles, walked on even and uneven surfaces, flew, swam, and fired missiles.
Chris Wabs (linked above) and Reborn
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Chibuike Okpara – Tech Writer – 92 articles published on Notebookcheck since 2024
I have always been fascinated by technology and digital devices my entire life and even got addicted to it. I have always marveled at the intricacy of even the simplest digital devices and systems around us. I have been writing and publishing articles online for about 6 years now, just about a year ago, I found myself lost in the marvel of smartphones and laptops we have in our hands every day. I developed a passion for learning about new devices and technologies that come with them and at some point, I asked myself, “Why not get into writing tech articles?” It is useless to say I followed up the idea — it is evident. I am an open-minded individual who derives an infinite amount of joy from researching and discovering new information, I believe there is so much to learn and such a short life to live, so I put my time to good use — learning new things. I am a ‘bookworm’ of the internet and digital devices. When I am not writing, you will find me on my devices still, I do explore and admire the beauty of nature and creatures. I am a fast learner and quickly adapt to changes, always looking forward to new adventures.
Chibuike Okpara, 2025-08- 5 (Update: 2025-08- 6)
