Editing Microbotics (section)

=== Flying locomotion ===
Flying microrobots are miniature robotic systems meticulously engineered to operate in the air by emulating the flight mechanisms of insects and birds. These microrobots have to overcome the issues related to lift, thrust, and movement that are challenging to accomplish at such a small scale where most aerodynamic theories must be modified. Active flight is the most energy-intensive mode of locomotion, as the microrobot must lift its body weight while propelling itself forward.<ref name=":1" /> To achieve this function, these microrobots mimic the movement of insect wings and generate the necessary airflow for producing lift and thrust. Miniaturized wings of the robots are actuated with [[Piezoelectric material|Piezoelectric]] materials, which offer better control of wing kinematics and flight dynamics.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Jafferis |first1=Noah T. |last2=Helbling |first2=E. Farrell |last3=Karpelson |first3=Michael |last4=Wood |first4=Robert J. |date=June 2019 |title=Untethered flight of an insect-sized flapping-wing microscale aerial vehicle |url=https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-019-1322-0 |journal=Nature |language=en |volume=570 |issue=7762 |pages=491–495 |doi=10.1038/s41586-019-1322-0 |pmid=31243384 |bibcode=2019Natur.570..491J |issn=1476-4687|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

To calculate the necessary aerodynamic power for maintaining a hover with flapping wings, the primary physical equation is expressed as

<math>mg=2*\rho*l^2*\phi*\upsilon_i^2</math>

where m is the body mass, L is the wing length, Φ represents the wing flapping amplitude in radians, ρ indicates the air density, and V<sub>i</sub> corresponds to the induced air speed surrounding the body, a consequence of the wings' flapping and rotation movements. This equation illustrates that a small insect or robotic device must impart sufficient momentum to the surrounding air to counterbalance its own weight.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Shyy |first1=Wei |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/aerodynamics-of-low-reynolds-number-flyers/B73F3DB3BF37F6D6A76E8194CFC2F692 |title=Aerodynamics of Low Reynolds Number Flyers |last2=Lian |first2=Yongsheng |last3=Tang |first3=Jian |last4=Viieru |first4=Dragos |last5=Liu |first5=Hao |date=2007 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-0-521-88278-1 |series=Cambridge Aerospace Series |location=Cambridge |doi=10.1017/cbo9780511551154}}</ref>

One example of a flying microrobot that utilizes flying locomotion is the RoboBee and DelFly Nimble,<ref name=":3">{{Cite journal |last1=Wang |first1=S. |last2=den Hoed |first2=M. |last3=Hamaza |first3=S. |date=2024 |title=A Low-cost Fabrication Approach to Embody Flexible and Lightweight Strain Sensing on Flapping Wings: 2024 IEEE International Conference onRobotics and Automation |url=https://research.tudelft.nl/en/publications/a-low-cost-fabrication-approach-to-embody-flexible-and-lightweigh |journal=IEEE ICRA 2024 - Workshop on Bioinspired, Soft, and Other Novel Design Paradigms for Aerial Robotics}}</ref><ref name=":4">{{Cite journal |last1=Chen |first1=Yufeng |last2=Wang |first2=Hongqiang |last3=Helbling |first3=E. Farrell |last4=Jafferis |first4=Noah T. |last5=Zufferey |first5=Raphael |last6=Ong |first6=Aaron |last7=Ma |first7=Kevin |last8=Gravish |first8=Nicholas |last9=Chirarattananon |first9=Pakpong |last10=Kovac |first10=Mirko |last11=Wood |first11=Robert J. |date=2017-10-25 |title=A biologically inspired, flapping-wing, hybrid aerial-aquatic microrobot |url=https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/scirobotics.aao5619 |journal=Science Robotics |language=en |volume=2 |issue=11 |doi=10.1126/scirobotics.aao5619 |pmid=33157886 |issn=2470-9476}}</ref> which, regarding flight dynamics, emulate bees and fruit flies, respectively. Harvard University invented the RoboBee, a miniature robot that mimics a bee fly, takes off and lands like one, and moves around confined spaces. It can be used in self-driving pollination and search operations for missing people and things. The DelFly Nimble, developed by the Delft University of Technology, is one of the most agile micro aerial vehicles that can mimic the maneuverability of a fruit fly by doing different tricks due to its minimal weight and advanced control mechanisms.<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":4" />