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This solar-powered robot bee lets you visualize how insect drones might fly

RoboBee drone

RoboBee drone

Have you ever imagined that the size of a drone is too big? Yes, we have seen compact drones from DJI and other companies but they are still visible from naked eye in the sky. The same cannot be said about the insects that are flying above us.

They are not noticeable instantly and we feel that can the drones do the same? Well, we don’t exactly know what the future of drones might be. But we definitely know that you can imagine how a drone the size of an insect or bee would look when flying.

A tiny solar-powered drone has been developed which looks exactly like a bee from distance. Also, it makes sense that the drone is powered by solar energy which will be in abundance when flying in the sky.

Because the most amount of solar energy can be taken from flying in the sky. Now, this drone is named as the RoboBee X-Wing and is developed by Harvard Microrobotics Laboratory. Also, this drone does not have the propeller blades which we normally see on every other drone. Instead, this drone has wings which are not only to give it the look of a bee.

These flapping wings are also advantageous over the blades. These wings will give greater agility as well as manoeuvrability and they are quieter and safer than propellor blades too. Above the wings of RoboBee, there are solar panels attached which help it take the power required. This also makes it the first drone to be not powered by any tether for the power source.

However, it is also a fact that RoboBee is not ready to be commercialized. Because it requires three times the normal sunlight to operate which is not possible every time. Also, this drone is only able to fly for a few seconds in one flight which is nowhere near the capacity of normal drones.

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