There are a number of reasons why researchers make microscopic robots. Engineers at the University of Washington have created the first wireless, flying robot that is about the size of a bumble bee. This robot is powered by a laser beam, and weighs less than a toothpick. It has been named RoboFly.

The tasks that a robotic flyer or this tiny a size can undertake are now being considered. One of the tasks would be to fly over large farms and display in live time the growth of the crops to the farmer. Another could be to sense out gas leaks in a sensitive storage area where hazards can be avoided by catching the leak in time.

What the RoboFly can do, will depend on the programs and the sensors that it can carry. The engineers will be able to customize the little flying robot based on what it’s primary duty may entail. The challenge to be met for the researchers is to increase the scope of the robotic insect’s flying area, even while keeping it under remote control.

Insect sized flying robots have so far been tethered to the ground with a wire. The engineers who worked on the science project that created the RoboFly have managed to overcome this challenge. Now let’s see them improve on the prototype.