MIT develops a small drone that can fly for about 1,000 seconds while being ultra-lightweight, and may be useful for artificial pollination
In recent years, drones with the size and maneuverability of insects have been developed, but most micro-aerial vehicles (MAVs) weighing less than 1g can only hover or fly at low speeds for less than 10 seconds at the time of writing. A research team at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has developed a small drone that is ultra-lightweight but can fly for about 1,000 seconds.
Acrobatics at the insect scale: A durable, precise, and agile micro–aerial robot | Science Robotics
This fast and agile robotic insect could someday aid in mechanical pollination | MIT News | Massachusetts Institute of Technology
https://news.mit.edu/2025/fast-agile-robotic-insect-could-someday-aid-mechanical-pollination-0115
Tiny insect-like robot can flip, loop and hover for up to 15 minutes | New Scientist
https://www.newscientist.com/article/2464538-tiny-insect-like-robot-can-flip-loop-and-hover-for-up-to-15-minutes/
MIT builds swarms of tiny robotic insect drones that can fly 100 times longer than previous designs | Live Science
https://www.livescience.com/technology/robotics/mit-builds-swarms-of-tiny-robotic-insect-drones-that-can-fly-100-times-longer-than-previous-designs
In the cultivation of vegetables and fruits, pollination, in which pollen produced by male flowers adheres to female flowers, is important, but in recent years, the decline of insects that act as pollinators has become a major problem . When pollination through insects cannot be expected, artificial pollination by hand by humans is necessary, and the idea of using insect-sized drones for this artificial pollination has been proposed.
However, the insect-sized drones developed so far have been inferior to real insects in terms of endurance, flight speed, and maneuverability in the air, making them impractical. So the MIT research team completely redesigned the small drone and developed a small drone that is much more maneuverable and has a longer flight time than previous versions.
The small drone developed by MIT in the past was a combination of four units with two wings, but with this structure, the air sent out when the wings flapped interfered with each other, reducing the lift generated. Therefore, this small drone improves the stability and lift of the wings by combining four units with one wing each.
You can see the MIT-developed drone in action in the YouTube video below.
Tiny insect-inspired robot can perform death-defying acrobatics - YouTube
A small flying drone. It weighs just 750mg and flies by flapping its four wings.
It is highly maneuverable and capable of acrobatic flight, such as spinning in the air without losing stability.
It is also capable of precise maneuvers, such as flying in the letter 'MIT' shape.
According to the research team, this small drone can hover for about 1,000 seconds, which is more than 100 times longer than the conventional version. In addition, the design change has secured enough free space to mount small batteries and sensors. 'The robot's longevity and improved accuracy bring us closer to some very exciting applications, such as assisting artificial pollination,' said Kevin Chen, an associate professor in the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.
The team also created a complex transmission that connects the wings to the actuators that create the flapping motion, which reduces mechanical strain and makes the wings more durable than previous versions.
The team plans to continue refining the design with the goal of achieving a flight time of more than 10,000 seconds, and to improve the piloting precision of the small drone so that it can 'land in the center of a flower.' 'This new robotic platform is a major achievement for our group and leads to many exciting directions. For example, integrating sensors, batteries, and computing capabilities into this robot will be a central focus over the next three to five years,' said Chen.
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