BEIJING, China — A bionic flying bird soared over the crowd Thursday at the World Robot Conference in Beijing, China.
The robotic bird was inspired by a herring gull and created by a German automation firm.
People turned their heads and swiveled their phones as the white flying machine circled above their heads.
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It has a wingspan of about 2 yards, but weighs less than a pound. The robotic bird uses GPS navigation and a remote camera to achieve semi-autonomous flight.
An engineer with the company that built the robot said it is made of a lightweight material and can take off, fly and land using its own power.
China is one of the largest markets for service and industrial robots.
The World Robot Conference runs through Sunday, with over 660 experts and entrepreneurs showcasing their products and services.