Untethered subcentimeter flying robots

Abstract

The miniaturization of insect-scale flying robots with untethered flights is extremely challenging as the tradeoff between mass and power becomes problematic. Here, a subcentimeter rotating-wing robot of 21 mg in weight and 9.4 mm in wingspan driven by a single-axis alternating magnetic field has accomplished navigable flights. This artificial flying robot is the lightest and smallest to realize untethered and controllable aerial travels including hovering, collision recovery, and route adjustments. Experimentally, it has achieved a high aerodynamic efficacy with a measured lift-to-drag ratio of 0.7 and lift–to–flying power ratio of 7.2 × 10⁻² N/W at a Reynolds number of ~2500. The wireless driving mechanism, system operation principle, and flight characteristics can be further optimized for the advancement and miniaturization of subcentimeter scale flying robots.