A miniature flying robot has been developed to approach flowers like a living bee and act as a pollinator to transfer pollen. It is close in size to an insect but as agile as recreational drones sold on the market and is evaluated as groundbreaking for its unprecedented flight duration among previously developed flapping micro flying robots.
Professor Kevin Chen and his research team at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) announced on the 17th (local time) that they have developed a small insect robot weighing less than 1 gram that can fly for over 1,000 seconds while flapping its wings like a honeybee.
The research team is developing a robotic insect that flies in swarms, coming out of artificial beehives like living honeybees and performing pollination tasks. The newly developed robotic bee has improved its hovering time by nearly 100 times compared to previously developed robots. Although small, it has space to carry miniature sensors and batteries, allowing it to perform independent missions in outdoor spaces rather than just in a laboratory.
Professor Chen noted, "The flight duration of the newly developed robot is longer than the total flight durations accumulated in previous robotic insect research," and added, "With improvements in the robot's lifespan and precision, we are one step closer to real applications such as transferring pollen to replace bees." Notably, Kim Soo-han, a researcher who graduated from Seoul National University and is pursuing a PhD at MIT, participated as the first author in this research.
◇ Capturing two rabbits: flight efficiency and precision
Recently, pollinators such as bees and butterflies are facing a serious extinction threat due to environmental hormones like pesticides and global warming. According to research teams from the United States and Germany, the number of bee species reported between 2006 and 2025 has decreased by about 25%. The role of pollinators is significant not only in nature but also in human societies. If the pollination process, where pollen is transferred from the stamens to the pistils of flowers, is not smooth, the production of fruits and food can dramatically decline. Scientists are seeking methods for artificial pollination using micro aerial vehicles (MAVs) that can fly as long and agile as naturally living bees, allowing drones to replace the pollination tasks bees perform by approaching flowers.
In order for MAVs to match the fast and complex flying capabilities of living insects, they must mimic the flexibility and durability of muscles and wings. However, existing MAVs are slow, prone to breakage, and have been unable to remain in the air for more than 10 seconds. Even the most advanced robots developed so far cannot compete with nature's pollinators like bees in terms of endurance, speed, and agility.
The research team developed a palm-sized flying robot that flaps its wings like a bird or insect. The robot measures 4 cm in width and length and is 0.9 cm tall, weighing only 750 mg. It has four flapping wings attached in all directions. Previously, the team had developed a robotic model consisting of four micro actuator units, each with two wings. However, this structure encountered the issue of poor flying performance due to conflicting airflow during wing flapping, which reduced lift.
To improve this issue, the research team attached one wing to each of the four micro actuator devices to stabilize wing flapping and increase lift. They successfully flew the robotic insect to a height of 1 to 2 meters by attaching a thin copper wire that supplies electricity to its tail.
◇ Flight time increased 100-fold
The research team has also developed technology to enhance flight precision and agility while minimizing wing deformation. The wings are made of a soft elastomer layer that serves as artificial muscles and operates using soft cylindrical carbon nanotube electrodes. This generates the force required for wing flapping through rapid compression and expansion. As the wing flapping speed increases, this structure faces the problem of bending, which decreases efficiency. The research team created a sophisticated transmission device that reduces the burden on artificial muscles and generates more power while flapping the wings. Additionally, they equipped the wings with hinges approximately 2 cm long and 200 micrometers (μm) in diameter to minimize the twisting forces during flapping.
The unveiled robotic bee demonstrated remarkable performance, being able to hover in the air for about 1,000 seconds, which is over 100 times longer than previously proven. Its hovering time is comparable to that of recreational drones from the prominent Chinese drone company DJI. This robotic insect, lighter than a paper clip, flies at a speed of 0.35 m/s, much faster than similar flying robots, executing acrobatic maneuvers such as double aerial flips. The research team also showcased precise maneuvers by tracing the letters 'MIT' in the air. The robot includes a space to carry a maximum of 500 mg of cargo, where the team suggested that small cameras or sensors could be placed.
◇ Still not on par with living bees
The research team plans to secure battery-powered flying technology, similar to commercial drones, instead of supplying electricity through five very thin copper wires connected to the robotic insect. In the long term, they aim to extend the flight time to over 10,000 seconds (2 hours and 47 minutes) and attempt to land on flowers with the same precision as bees. They also set a long-term goal to equip the robot with small batteries and sensors necessary for autonomous flight and exploration in outdoor settings within 3 to 5 years. Researcher Kim Soo-han said, "Existing robots that fly in a similar manner have had breakdowns after about 2 to 40 seconds and require repairs, limiting the testing and precision control of the robots," adding, "This research has opened doors for future follow-up studies in sensing technology and battery technology by achieving insect-like flight endurance, precision, and agility."
Experts evaluate that despite advances in technology, robotic insects still do not match the abilities of living insects. While bees exhibit fast and very controlled movements with two wings and muscles, scientists have not yet developed such precise devices. In an interview with MIT News, Professor Chen stated, "The wings of bees are controlled with great precision by very sophisticated muscles," remarking that, "These intricate movements fascinate us greatly, but humans cannot replicate them yet."
However, the newly developed technology is expected to contribute to making current drones much smaller. Researcher Kim noted, "The motors mounted on drones become more difficult to reduce once they go below a certain stage," and expressed hope that it would be possible to develop much smaller and lighter drones using artificial muscles to move wings, like the insect robot developed this time.
Experts predict that if a small flying robot capable of transferring pollen is developed, various fruits and vegetables could be cultivated in buildings. This is because the robot could pollinate while flying around within indoor spaces like plant factories. In fact, in addition to the MIT research team, robotic bee technologies that perform pollination tasks in swarms are also being developed by research teams led by Professor Robert Wood from Harvard University and Sawyer Fuller from Washington University. This research was conducted with the support of the National Science Foundation and the MassWorks Fellowship. The findings were published in the international journal Science Robotics on the 17th.
Reference material
Science Robotics (2025), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1126/scirobotics.adp4256