A wireless radiofrequency-powered insect-scale flapping-wing aerial vehicle

Abstract Insect-scale aerial vehicles are useful tools for communication, environmental sensing and surveying confined spaces. However, the lack of lightweight high-power-density batteries has limited untethered flight durations these micro vehicles. Wireless power transmission using radiofrequency electromagnetic waves could potentially offer transmissivity through obstacles, wave-targeting/focusing capabilities non-mechanical steering via phased-array antennas. But use so far been to larger Here we show that a wireless supply can be used drive an insect-scale flapping-wing vehicle. We sub-gram receiver with power-to-weight density 4,900 W kg –1 , which is five times higher than off-the-shelf lithium polymer similar mass. With this system, demonstrate take off Our RF-powered aircraft mass 1.8 g more 25 lighter previous radiofrequency-powered