Top Robotic Pollinators: Can Robotic Bees Save The World?

(MENAFN- Robotics & automation News) Top 10 robotic insects: Can robotic bees save all plant life on Earth?

January 16, 2025 by David Edwards

As someone who eats honey on toast almost every day, I've been quite interested over the past few years by stories about the supposed collapse of the global bee population.

Bees not only produce honey, they are, of course, nature's great pollinators. Although not the only pollinators around, they're the only ones who produce honey, as far as I know.

So, I thought I'd delve into this topic a little bit, in light of various academic institutions and companies developing tiny flying robots or drones that could potentially do the job of natural pollinators.

The world is witnessing an intriguing intersection of biology and robotics with the development of insect- or bee-like robots. These tiny marvels aim to address pressing environmental and agricultural challenges, including the global decline in bee populations.

Let's explore some of the most advanced robotic insect projects around the world, and the critical role of pollinators in nature, as well as the state of honey production, and whether these technological solutions hold promise for the future.

Bees are vital pollinators, contributing significantly to global agriculture and ecosystems. However, their populations have been declining alarmingly due to factors such as habitat loss, pesticide use, climate change, and diseases like colony collapse disorder (CCD).

CCD – or something like it – is said to have been reported throughout the ages, for centuries, in fact, so maybe it's something that's always happened, but now it's come about at the same time as many other environmental concerns surrounding global warming and so on.

• USA : Between 2020 and 2021, beekeepers in the United States reported a loss of approximately 45 per cent of their colonies, according to Bee Informed Partnership.
• Europe : In the EU, honeybee colony losses range from 10 per cent to 30 per cent, with certain regions like southern Europe experiencing even higher declines.
• Asia : While less documented, some reports indicate increasing threats to pollinator populations due to rapid urbanisation and pesticide use.

The decline has severe implications for food security, as over 75 per cent of global food crops rely on pollination.

Pollinators, including bees, butterflies, beetles, and certain birds, are essential for transferring pollen from one flower to another, enabling fertilisation and fruit production.

• Bees : The most effective pollinators, particularly honeybees and bumblebees.
• Butterflies and moths : Important for specific plant species, particularly those flowering at night.
• Beetles : Known as“mess-and-soil” pollinators, they aid in pollination by visiting flowers for food.

Pollinators contribute an estimated $235 billion to $577 billion annually to global food production, underlining their economic importance.

Beyond pollination, honeybees produce honey, a valuable natural resource. Declining bee populations have raised concerns about honey production.

Despite the challenges, global honey production has remained relatively stable due to improved beekeeping practices in leading honey-producing countries. However, localised declines are evident.