Adam Klaptocz

About

Adam Klaptocz is a pioneer in the field of aerial robotics, best known for his groundbreaking work on collision-tolerant flying robots. His research fundamentally challenges the traditional paradigm of obstacle avoidance, instead focusing on designing platforms that can physically withstand, exploit, and recover from impacts in cluttered environments. His most significant contribution is the development of the **AirBurr** platform and the **Euler spring** protective structure, which enable robots to collide with obstacles and then self-right to continue their mission. This work is complemented by his earlier, highly influential creation of the **e-puck** robot, a standard educational tool cited over 700 times. Klaptocz’s contributions also extend to ultralight vision-based flight, with a 10-gram microflyer, and bio-inspired perching mechanisms using fiber-based adhesives. His research, which has accumulated over 1,000 citations, has been instrumental in shifting the design philosophy for drones operating in search-and-rescue and exploration scenarios, proving that resilience, rather than avoidance, can be a viable and efficient strategy for autonomous flight in the real world.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

Top Papers

1. 1
   The e-puck, a Robot Designed for Education in Engineering

   703 citations · 2009
2. 2
   A perching mechanism for flying robots using a fibre-based adhesive

   96 citations · 2013
3. 3
   A 10-gram vision-based flying robot

   56 citations · 2007
4. 4
   Euler spring collision protection for flying robots

   49 citations · 2013
5. 5
   Contact-based navigation for an autonomous flying robot

   43 citations · 2013
6. 6
   The AirBurr: A flying robot that can exploit collisions

   31 citations · 2012
7. 7
   An indoor flying platform with collision robustness and self-recovery

   19 citations · 2010
8. 8
   An Active Uprighting Mechanism for Flying Robots

   19 citations · 2012
9. 9
   Aerial Locomotion in Cluttered Environments

   8 citations · 2016
10. 10
    Design of Flying Robots for Collision Absorption and Self-Recovery

    7 citations · 2012

Key Collaborators

Contact & Links