German automation company Festo has designed a series of ultra-light robotic bees.

The so-called BionicBees are a product of Festo’s Bionic Learning Network (BLN), which develops products inspired by nature.

According to the company, the lightweight and easy to maneuver robotic bees can fly autonomously in large numbers as part of a swarm.

Source: Festo

Weighing roughly 1.19 ounces and measuring 8.6 inches in length and 9.4 inches in width at the wings, the BionicBees are reportedly the smallest flying objects developed under the Bionic Learning Network, Festo explained.

The company revealed that the BionicBees’ bodies create compact housing for the beating-wing mechanism, the communication technology, the wing beat control components and the adaptation of the wing geometry.

Further, the BionicBees each feature a brushless motor, three servo motors, a battery, a gear unit and assorted printed circuit boards (PCBs).

Meanwhile, an interior localization system using ultra-wideband (UWB) technology encourages the autonomous behavior of the bees.

For more on the BionicBees, watch the accompanying video that appears courtesy of Festo.