P11 Emeth

2024

Abstract

P11 Emeth is an applied research drone conceived as an exposed technological organism, where structure, protection and movement are developed as a single system. The project investigates ultralight metal alloys for LPBF manufacturing and integrates a patented rechargeable airbag technology based on shape-memory alloys, eliminating the need for pyrotechnic initiators. Its skeletal frame is generated through a custom computational algorithm that branches the structure according to finite element analysis and thermal management data. Rather than concealing its technical components, Emeth displays them as part of its visual identity, following the logic of an open-work mechanical watch. The airbag system deploys in under 40 milliseconds, creating a protective shield against impact and uncontrolled falls while also providing flotation during emergency water landings. An aeronautically inspired upper dome gives direction and tension to the otherwise organic architecture, while the rotating dual-lens camera is stabilised through SMA wires, reinterpreting one of SAES’s legacy technologies within a new autonomous platform.