Researchers use moths to airdrop sensors and measure environmental conditions

Researchers have developed a light-weight sensor system that can be carried by small insects like a moth to destinations that are dangerous or too small for humans to reach. “This is the first time anyone has shown that sensors can be released from tiny drones or insects such as moths, which can traverse through narrow spaces better than any drone and sustain much longer flights,” said Shyam Gollakota, an associate professor in University of Washington. Researchers from the University have created the sensor system weighing only 98 milligram, about one tenth the weight of a jellybean, that can ride aboard an insect like moth or a small drone to reach its destination. This, combined with the sensor’s low weight, keeps the maximum fall speed at around 11 miles per hour, allowing the sensor to land safely, according to the researchers.