In a lab at the University of Tokyo, engineers have brought a legendary creature to life—not with magic, but with robotics. Meet DRAGON, a modular, serpentine drone that flies like a mythical dragon, slithers through tight spaces, and even manipulates objects mid-air.

A Drone Unlike Any Other
Most drones are simple flying machines, but DRAGON is something else entirely:
✔ Modular design – Its body is made of linked segments, each with two gimbaled fans for flight
✔ Thrust vectoring – Can twist, curl, and squeeze through narrow gaps like a flying snake
✔ Object manipulation – Uses its thrusters to pinch, push, pull, and even turn valves
✔ Heavy lifter – Carries up to 7.5 lbs (3.4 kg) despite weighing just 16.7 lbs (7.6 kg)

Originally unveiled in 2018, DRAGON was designed for disaster relief, where its ability to navigate collapsed buildings or tight industrial spaces could be life-saving.

The Evolution: From DRAGON to SPIDAR
By 2022, DRAGON had improved—but its 3-minute flight time limited real-world use. Now, the team has shifted focus to a new hybrid robot: SPIDAR.

Unlike DRAGON’s serpentine form, SPIDAR has:
✔ Four legs for walking on rough terrain
✔ Thrust-vectoring flight like DRAGON
✔ Payload-carrying ability from any angle

While it loses DRAGON’s slinky agility, SPIDAR is more versatile, combining aerial and ground movement for missions in disaster zones or hard-to-reach areas.

Will DRAGON Return?
For now, DRAGON remains a groundbreaking prototype—one that proved drones could be more than just flying cameras. If battery technology improves, we might see its return.

Until then, SPIDAR continues the legacy, showing that the future of robotics is flexible, adaptive, and maybe even a little mythical.