Sophie F. Armanini

About

Sophie F. Armanini is a robotics researcher whose work sits at the fascinating intersection of aerial, aquatic, and bioinspired autonomous systems. Her research spans multi-modal robotic vehicles, flapping-wing micro aerial vehicles (FWMAVs), and environmental monitoring platforms, with a particular focus on enabling robots to operate across challenging and previously inaccessible environments. Armanini's most influential contribution is her pioneering work on aerial-aquatic robotics — vehicles capable of seamlessly transitioning between air and water. Her 2019 paper on consecutive aquatic jump-gliding using water-reactive fuel has garnered 119 citations, establishing her as a leading voice in this emerging field. Complementary works, including the SailMAV flying sailing robot (47 citations) and MEDUSA dual-robot system (45 citations), further demonstrate her ability to move from concept to working prototype. Her 2022 review "Between Sea and Sky" consolidates the field's progress, while her 2021 paper on control challenges for unmanned aerial-aquatic vehicles helps define the research agenda going forward. Beyond aquatic systems, Armanini has made significant contributions to flapping-wing aerodynamics, UAV sensor placement, and bioinspired perching mechanisms for long-term environmental monitoring. With over 370 cumulative citations, her work is shaping the next generation of versatile, nature-inspired robots capable of navigating our most complex environments.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

Top Papers

1. 1
   Consecutive aquatic jump-gliding with water-reactive fuel

   119 citations · 2019
2. 2
   Unmanned Aerial Sensor Placement for Cluttered Environments

   53 citations · 2020
3. 3
   SailMAV: Design and Implementation of a Novel Multi-Modal Flying Sailing Robot

   47 citations · 2019
4. 4
   MEDUSA: A Multi-Environment Dual-Robot for Underwater Sample Acquisition

   45 citations · 2020
5. 5
   Between Sea and Sky: Aerial Aquatic Locomotion in Miniature Robots

   22 citations · 2022
6. 6
   Aerial Tensile Perching and Disentangling Mechanism for Long-Term Environmental Monitoring

   19 citations · 2024
7. 7
   Landing and take-off capabilities of bioinspired aerial vehicles: a review

   18 citations · 2024
8. 8
   Modelling wing wake and tail aerodynamics of a flapping-wing micro aerial vehicle

   18 citations · 2019
9. 9
   Onboard/Offboard Sensor Fusion for High-Fidelity Flapping-Wing Robot Flight Data

   15 citations · 2017
10. 10
    Challenges in Control and Autonomy of Unmanned Aerial-Aquatic Vehicles

    14 citations · 2021

Key Collaborators

Contact & Links