Drones, or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), have become commonplace in today’s society. But they can easily be seen and heard. Imagine a “drone” the size of a mosquito and its capabilities.
A group of research scientists at Harvard Microrobotics Laboratory in Cambridge, Massachusetts have achieved untethered, autonomous flight of an insect-sized micro-robot, the “RoboBee.” The flapping wing device had to overcome some very big challenges including a battery small enough with enough power to drive the wings and a truly micro-processor to control flight.
According to the article, “Flapping wings make animals and machines highly agile and maneuverable — for example, bats can fly with ease through basements, caves and dense forests. Moreover, flapping wings typically move with lower tip speeds than propellers, and are therefore quieter and inflict less damage if they come into contact with people or property.”
The engineers of the microrobots have not suggested any applications for these agile, quiet micro machines, but with a little imagination….