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Students from Aalborg University in Denmark have built a drone capable of transitioning seamlessly from flight to underwater navigation.
Developed as part of their bachelor’s thesis in Applied Industrial Electronics, the hybrid drone was designed, fabricated, and tested over the course of two academic semesters. A recently released video captures the compact craft lifting off, diving into a pool, swimming briefly beneath the surface, and launching back into the air in one continuous motion.
Associate Professor Petar Durdevic from AAU Energy, who supervised the project alongside Associate Professor Mads Valentin Bram, said, “The team has demonstrated impressive collaboration skills, creativity, and perseverance. After countless hours in the lab, they transformed their idea into a functional prototype in just one year. It’s a remarkable achievement for an interdisciplinary student team.”
Developing a dual-environment drone
Students designed the drone using an undisclosed 3D printer and CNC machining and programmed it with custom software to take it from concept to working prototype. While the current model remains a one-off, the project showed that a functional dual-environment vehicle can be built using accessible fabrication methods and tailored code.
A key feature of this capability is a variable-pitch propeller system, with blades that adjust their angle depending on the surrounding environment. In the air, the blades shift to a higher pitch to generate lift. When underwater, the pitch lowers to reduce drag and improve propulsion efficiency.
The system also supports reverse thrust, allowing the drone to maneuver more tightly while submerged. According to the students, this adaptability enables the drone to operate smoothly in both environments using a single propulsion setup, without requiring any mechanical reconfiguration. This approach is what enables the drone’s uninterrupted movement between air and water.
The transitions between air and water are captured in the demonstration footage, where the drone moves repeatedly between the two mediums. The students credited the consistency of these movements to the simplicity and reliability of the propeller system, which avoids the need for complex mechanisms.
Looking ahead, the students see potential for their design in applications such as marine exploration, vessel inspections, search and rescue missions, and defense, according to Interesting Engineering. Though still at a proof-of-concept stage, the drone shows how a low-cost platform could help access environments that are otherwise difficult to reach.
Away from Aalborg University, researchers at Johns Hopkins University’s Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) developed a dual-environment UAV called Corrosion Resistant Aerial Covert Unmanned Nautical System (CRACUNS), capable of launching from underwater stations or vehicles and flying in air.
Built using 3D printing and novel fabrication techniques, the drone featured a lightweight composite frame designed to endure harsh littoral conditions. To address saltwater exposure, sensitive components were enclosed in dry pressure vessels, and the motors were coated with commercial corrosion-resistant materials. After two months submerged in saltwater, the drone showed no damage, demonstrating its structural resilience and operational viability.
3D printing reshapes drone form and function
From underwater flight to bird mimicry and aerial construction, researchers are using 3D printing to rethink what drones can do, and what shapes they can take.
One unique example comes from The Drone Bird Company in the Netherlands developing bird-shaped drones that help manage wildlife in aviation and agriculture, using 3D printing to bring their designs to life.
Working with Advanced Laser Materials (ALM), EOS, and Parts on Demand, the company combines SLS with lightweight carbon-based materials to produce durable, realistic components. This manufacturing approach has not only accelerated development and reduced costs but also made it easier to adapt designs to specific needs. Mimicking birds of prey, the drones effectively discourage wildlife from gathering near runways and farmland.
On the construction front, researchers at Imperial College London developed a drone swarm capable of autonomously 3D printing concrete structures while in flight. The system featured two types of drones: BuilDrones, fitted with custom nozzles to adjust for movement during flight, and ScanDrones, which monitored progress and guided layer-by-layer deposition.
Working in coordinated loops, the drones used real-time trajectory control and print monitoring to carry out precision construction. In testing, the team first printed a two-meter foam structure, then a cylindrical tower using a cement-polymer composite. The drones maintained sub-centimeter accuracy throughout, demonstrating the promise of aerial 3D printing for remote construction.
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Featured image shows the hybrid drone gets a swim in the pool. Photo via Andrei Copaci/Aalborg University.
