Electroadhesion (EA) provides electrically switchable adhesion and is a promising mechanism for perching micro aerial robots on smooth surfaces. However, practical implementations of soft and stretchable EA pads for aerial perching remain limited. This work presents (i) an efficient workflow for fabricating soft, stretchable electroadhesive pads with sinusoidal wave and concentric-circle electrodes in multiple sizes, (ii) a controlled experimental comparison of normal and shear adhesion under inactive (0 kV) and active (4.8 kV) conditions using an Instron-based setup, and (iii) a perching demonstration using a Crazyflie quadrotor equipped with electroadhesive feet on flat and curved substrates. Experimental results show that shear adhesion dominates, reaching forces on the order of 3 N with partial pad contact, while normal adhesion is comparatively small and strongly dependent on substrate properties. The Crazyflie prototype demonstrates repeatable attachment on smooth plastic surfaces, including curved geometries, as well as rapid detachment when the voltage is removed. These results highlight the potential of soft electroadhesive feet for lightweight and reliable perching in micro aerial vehicles (MAVs).
Figures & tables
Fig. 1: Crazyflie quadrotor equipped with soft electroadhesive pads demonstrating conformal attachment to a curved plastic surface.
Fig. 3: Working principle of the electroadhesive (EA) pad: (a) top view of the electrode layout and (b) cross-sectional view. The applied high voltage generates fringe electric fields that induce charge polarization on the substrate surface, resulting in electroadhesive forces.
Fig. 4: Fabrication process of the soft electroadhesive pad: (a) laser cutting of the conductive silicone electrode pattern; (b) casting of the laminated structure by placing the patterned electrode on the bottom Ecoflex layer, attaching the lead, and encapsulating it with a top Ecoflex layer.
Fig. 5: Six fabricated soft electroadhesive (EA) pads used for pad-level characterisation, including three wave-pattern designs (Wave 1–Wave 3) and three concentric-circular designs (Circle 1–Circle 3) with different electrode geometries and sizes.
Fig. 6: Experimental setups for pad-level characterisation: normal-force test and shear-force test using the Instron platform.
Fig. 7: Comparison of the average (a) normal force and (b) shear force generated by the six fabricated EA pads under 0 kV and 4.8 kV, respectively. Error bars indicate the standard deviation from repeated tests.
Fig. 8: System-level validation of the Crazyflie equipped with four soft electroadhesive feet based on the Circle 1 design. (a) Attachment on a flat plastic surface as the substrate was rotated from the horizontal to the vertical and fully inverted configurations. (b) Detachment sequence after the applied voltage was removed. (c) Attachment test on a flat wooden surface, showing weaker support and eventual detachment. (d) Attachment on a rolled plastic surface, including side views and a close-up showing conformal contact between the soft pads and the curved substrate. (e) Attachment test on a cylindrical PVC bottle, where vertical attachment was achieved but stable support in more demanding orientations was not maintained.
Aerial robotics studies the design, perception, control, and coordination of flying robots for navigation, inspection, transport, and physical interaction.
School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore · School of Mechanical Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan430074, China