Researchers have developed a minute robot “fly” that can float on the wind and is controlled by light.

The FAIRY project, as it’s known, is being developed by a team of scientists from Tampere University in Finland with the aim of revolutionising farming.

The robots could be used in their millions to help guide pollen on the wind to plants that need it, at a time when pollinators, such as bees, are dying at alarmingly fast rates due to climate change.

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Losses in pollinators across the world cause 500,000 early deaths a year, according to a study, due to lower yields of healthy foods and increased rates of disease.

The light-powered robot, which weighs just 1.2 mg, was inspired by dainty dandelion seeds and can also be steered by light toward specific areas with trees awaiting pollination.

The tech also comes with a stable separated vortex ring generation that enables long-distance wind-assisted travelling.

Scientists on the FAIRY project, which began in September 2021, now want to focus on making the robot able to operate in sunlight.

They also want to improve the structure so it can carry small devices including sensors and GPS.

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Hao Zeng, lead author of the paper published by the team, said that this technology has the potential to revolutionise the way people farm for food: "This would have a huge impact on agriculture globally since the loss of pollinators due to global warming has become a serious threat to biodiversity and food production”.

He added that while the technology is currently in the proof-of-concept stage, it is already shaping up to be usable in the future: “Our research shows that the robot we have developed provides an important step towards realistic applications suitable for artificial pollination”.

The FAIRY project will continue developing the technology until at least 2026.

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