Skip to main content

Powered by a laser, this insect-sized RoboFly can take off and land wirelessly

The first wireless flying robotic insect takes off

Researchers from the University of Washington have developed a fly-sized robot they think could be used to access places inaccessible to regular-sized drones. The RoboFly, which is only marginally heavier than a toothpick, can take off and land completely wirelessly. To do this, it uses tiny wings — rather than the more common propellers — to keep it airborne. While it can only launch itself off the ground a short distance at present, the team hopes to be able to improve the tiny robot’s aerial capabilities so that it can hover and fly about.

“Our RoboFly is a wirelessly powered flapping-wing robot about the size of a real insect, complete with power electronics and computation,” Vikram Iyer, a doctoral student in the UW Department of Electrical Engineering, told Digital Trends. “The exciting thing here is that we demonstrate the first robot of this kind that can actually lift off without any wires. We do this by aiming a laser at a small solar cell on the robot to deliver power. The solar cell converts laser light into electrical power, which then goes through our custom circuit that actually flaps the wings to lift it off the ground.”

University of Washington

Shyam Gollakota, an associate professor in the university’s School of Computer Science & Engineering, said that small flying robots such as this one may be useful for performing a variety of tasks. These could include search-and-rescue missions, where their small size would make them more cost effective to produce at scale and deploy in large numbers. They could also be utilized for inspection tasks, such as checking gas pipelines for leaks or monitoring agricultural crops on a smart farm.

Mechanical engineering doctoral student Johannes James told DT that the team plans to expand the project by making the RoboFly more adept at maneuvering tricky terrain. “We also intend to develop abilities to navigate difficult environments, such as moving along the ground,” James said. This may involve incorporating tiny batteries into the robot or allowing it to harvest energy from radio frequency signals as a power source.

The team will be presenting its findings on May 23 at the International Conference on Robotics and Automation in Brisbane, Australia.

Editors' Recommendations

Luke Dormehl
I'm a UK-based tech writer covering Cool Tech at Digital Trends. I've also written for Fast Company, Wired, the Guardian…
Meet the game-changing pitching robot that can perfectly mimic any human throw
baseball hitter swings and misses

Who’s your favorite baseball pitcher? Shane McClanahan? Sandy Alcantara? Justin Verlander? Whoever you said, two of the top sports-tech companies in the U.S. -- Rapsodo and Trajekt Sports -- have teamed up to build a robot version of them, and the results are reportedly uncannily accurate.

Okay, so we’re not talking about walking-talking-pitching standalone robots, as great a sci-fi-tinged MLB ad as that would be. However, Rapsodo and Trajekt have combined their considerable powers to throw a slew of different technologies at the problem of building a machine that's able to accurately simulate the pitching style of whichever player you want to practice batting against -- and they may just have pulled it off, too.

Read more
The best portable power stations
EcoFlow DELTA 2 on table at campsite for quick charging.

Affordable and efficient portable power is a necessity these days, keeping our electronic devices operational while on the go. But there are literally dozens of options to choose from, making it abundantly difficult to decide which mobile charging solution is best for you. We've sorted through countless portable power options and came up with six of the best portable power stations to keep your smartphones, tablets, laptops, and other gadgets functioning while living off the grid.
The best overall: Jackery Explorer 1000

Jackery has been a mainstay in the portable power market for several years, and today, the company continues to set the standard. With three AC outlets, two USB-A, and two USB-C plugs, you'll have plenty of options for keeping your gadgets charged.

Read more
CES 2023: HD Hyundai’s Avikus is an A.I. for autonomous boat and marine navigation
Demonstration of NeuBoat level 2 autonomous navigation system at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show

This content was produced in partnership with HD Hyundai.
Autonomous vehicle navigation technology is certainly nothing new and has been in the works for the better part of a decade at this point. But one of the most common forms we see and hear about is the type used to control steering in road-based vehicles. That's not the only place where technology can make a huge difference. Autonomous driving systems can offer incredible benefits to boats and marine vehicles, too, which is precisely why HD Hyundai has unveiled its Avikus AI technology -- for marine and watercraft vehicles.

More recently, HD Hyundai participated in the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, to demo its NeuBoat level 2 autonomous navigation system for recreational boats. The name mashes together the words "neuron" and "boat" and is quite fitting since the Avikus' A.I. navigation tech is a core component of the solution, it will handle self-recognition, real-time decisions, and controls when on the water. Of course, there are a lot of things happening behind the scenes with HD Hyundai's autonomous navigation solution, which we'll dive into below -- HD Hyundai will also be introducing more about the tech at CES 2023.

Read more