Tiny Flying Robot Gets Crushed By 11,000 Times Its Weight And Flies Again

A tiny flying robot weighing just 185 milligrams is crushed under a load 11,000 times its own weight, survives repeated impacts and takes flight again in tests of a new flexible design.

Developed by Yuan Zhu and colleagues, the all-polymer robot uses two cone-shaped wings connected to a flexible polymer film. An electrostrictive actuator changes shape when an electric field is applied, directly driving the wings without a mechanical transmission.

The robot also survived being struck by a flyswatter and returned to flight after the impact. In another test, aluminum blocks were used to compress the robot under an extreme load, yet the tiny machine recovered and continued operating.

During demonstrations, the 185-milligram robot achieved a lift-to-weight ratio of 3.0 and a lift-to-power ratio of 8.3 millinewtons per watt while flapping at 30 hertz.

The researchers say the design could help create robust sub-gram flying robots that can be deployed in swarms. Future development will focus on improving energy efficiency and power density while adding onboard control and power systems.