Robotic Bees

Robotic Bees Outdo Their Organic Rivals by Swimming (+Video)

Steve Dent | October 5, 2015

Harvard's Robobees are already pretty adroit for paper-clip sized drones; they fly around stably in calm air and hover like real bees (if real bees were tethered to power). Researchers have given them a new talent that even the insects don't have -- the ability to "fly" underwater. To do so, they make like ducks and transition from flight to swimming by crashing into the water, sinking a bit, then flapping their wings at a slower pace (9 Hz) than in the air (120 Hz) . That's already a feat that few drones can match, but the aim is to eventually build autonomous bots that could do search and rescue and other beneficial activities.

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2015/10/05/harvard-robotic-bees-swim/

<more at http://www.engadget.com/2015/10/05/harvard-robotic-bees-swim/; related links: http://www.engadget.com/2013/05/03/harvard-universitys-robotic-insect-takes-its-first-controlled-f/ (Harvard University's robotic insect takes its first controlled flight. (+Video) May 3, 2013) and http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/19/harvard-universitys-robotic-fly-takes-flight/ (Harvard University's robotic fly takes flight. July 19, 2007)>