Bugborgs Let the Insect Do the Flying

I find it almost impossible to sit outside for very long and, when any insect flies by, not say to myself, "How does that thing fly? How does it maneuver like it does?" Insects are amazing, almost miraculous, aviators. They take off and land in an instant, and zoom around at blurring speeds. It is no wonder that so much research is taking place at trying to duplicate the flight capabilities of insects for all kinds of uses.

However trying to build lightweight wings and have them support and carry battery packs and tiny motors has proved illusive. So, according to an ASME article, researchers at Draper Laboratory decided to turn the problem upside down and let a real insect do the flying, requiring only an onboard system to direct the insect's own flight and navigation controls. The insect they have chosen is a dragon fly which has only 16 neurons associated with navigation and apparently a great deal is known about how these neurons function.

At this point they have the innovative control system mounted on a dragon fly, named "DragonflEye," although they have yet to control it precisely.  But the concept seems to have great potential, and so the research continues. Instead of creating a "bugbot," they are creating a "bugborg."  As they say, "What will they think of next?"

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