US and Japanese scientists are developing robot bees to assist with the examination and exploration of Mars, having received funding of $125,000 from NASA. The Marsbees will be equipped with sensors and wireless communications to extract samples, map terrain and search for new life. The devices will stay afloat with giant wings, allowing them to hover in the thin atmosphere. A team led by Dr David Kipping at Imperial College London is working on a similar project called Mars Beehive.
US and Japanese scientists are developing robot bees to assist with the examination and exploration of Mars, having received funding of $125,000 from NASA. The Marsbees will be equipped with sensors and wireless communications to extract samples, map terrain and search for new life. The devices will stay afloat with giant wings, allowing them to hover in the thin atmosphere. The current rovers are moving at a slow pace, but will act as communication centres and charging stations for the bees, allowing for more efficient exploration.