BionicBee: Autonomous Flying Robot Bee with Generative Design and 5G

Updated: May 11 2024 03:24

In the world of robotics and biomimicry, Festo the Bionic Learning Network has been at the forefront of innovation for over 15 years. Their latest creation, the BionicBee, is a testament to their dedication to pushing the boundaries of what's possible in autonomous flying and swarm behavior. This ultralight flying object, weighing just 34 grams and measuring 22 centimeters in length with a 24-centimeter wingspan, is the smallest yet most advanced member of the Bionic Learning Network family.



One of the most impressive aspects of the BionicBee is its use of generative design methodology. By inputting a few key parameters, the software can determine the optimal structure for the bee, ensuring maximum stability while using the least amount of material possible. This lightweight construction is crucial for the BionicBee's maneuverability and flight duration, allowing it to perform intricate maneuvers and stay airborne for extended periods.


Despite its small size, the BionicBee packs a punch when it comes to functionality. Its body serves as a compact housing for the beating wing mechanism, communication technology, and control components for wing beats and geometry adaptation. The developers have managed to fit a brushless motor, three servo motors, a battery, a gear unit, and various circuit boards into this tiny space, showcasing their expertise in miniaturization and function integration.



The BionicBee's flight capabilities are truly remarkable, with a stroke frequency of 15 to 20 hertz and wings that beat back and forth at a 180-degree angle. The brushless motor drives the wingbeat backlash-free via a precisely guided, ultra-lightweight mechanical design, while the three servo motors at the wing root selectively change the wing geometry to increase effectiveness and vary lift generation. This allows the BionicBee to perform natural flight maneuvers with four degrees of freedom: pitch, roll, yaw, and forward flight.


Perhaps the most exciting aspect of the BionicBee is its ability to fly autonomously in a swarm. This is achieved through an indoor localization system using ultra-wideband (UWB) technology and 5G communication. Eight UWB anchors installed on two levels in the room send signals to the individual bees, allowing them to calculate their own positions based on time stamps. A central computer specifies the flight paths, ensuring safe and collision-free flight in close formation while accounting for potential air turbulence interactions.


As each BionicBee is built by hand, slight manufacturing differences can influence their flight characteristics. To overcome this, the bees feature an automatic calibration function. After a short test flight, each bee determines its individually optimized controller parameters, allowing the intelligent algorithm to account for hardware differences and ensure the entire swarm can be controlled uniformly from the outside.

The BionicBee represents a significant milestone in the field of autonomous flying and swarm behavior. By combining generative design, compact function integration, natural flight maneuvers, and advanced communication technologies, the Bionic Learning Network has created a truly remarkable flying object that pushes the boundaries of what's possible in robotics and biomimicry. As the BionicBee joins the ranks of the Bionic Learning Network's impressive lineup of bionic flying objects, it's clear that the future of autonomous flying is bright, check out below some other flying objects from Festo:



The BionicSwifts are agile, maneuverable, and can even fly loops and steep turns. By interacting with a radio-based indoor GPS system, the five robotic birds are capable of moving autonomously in a coordinated pattern in a defined airspace.




Flying is a recurring theme in the Bionic Learning Network. They combine the ultralight design of artificial insects with coordinated, collective flight behavior. Ten cameras installed in the room record the butterflies via two infrared markers on their wings. The cameras transmit the position data to a central master computer, which coordinates the butterflies from the outside. Intelligent networking creates a control and monitoring system that could be used in the networked factory of the future.