New generation drones could learn from bumblebees’ conscious flight

Robotic researchers often use certain animals or birds with some clever abilities as a source of inspiration. Scientists studying next-generation small drones are particularly interested in flying insects such as bees.

A team, led by researchers from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Canberra, has uncovered the secret of self-aware skilled flight of bumblebees that could have applications for the next generation of autonomous drones and vehicles.

The researchers studied how the bumblebees navigated through a tunnel with a series of gates with different sized holes. They found that bees were able to successfully fly through openings, thanks to a remarkable sense of their own size and detailed perception of obstacle openings.

“Previous research had indicated that complex processes, such as perception of self size, were cognitively driven and only present in animals with large brains. However, our research indicates that small insects, with even smaller brains, can understand their own body size and use that information as they fly in a complex environment.“Said Dr. Sridhar Ravi, the lead author of the study.

The team says this is the first time such evidence has been seen in flying invertebrates. They found that these insects were able to skillfully pass through gates by manipulating the speed of their approach and posture, even by flying sideways when the hole was smaller than their wingspan.

Using “side peering,” a process in which the bee scans a feature, using depth perception and spatial awareness, the insects build a complete map of the opening and can change the orientation of their body to accommodate the space. empty.

“Insects are fantastic models for robots because they have extremely small brains, yet they are capable of overly complex tasks. For thousands of years, nature has coded insects with some surprising attributes. Our challenge now is to see how we can take this and apply similar coding to future robotic systems, improving their performance in the natural world.“Said Dr. Ravi.