World’s smallest flying robot developed in the U.S.
Engineers at the University of California, Berkeley have unveiled the world’s smallest flying robot, weighing only 21 milligrams — about the weight of a grain of rice. Remarkably, it can fly without any motors or onboard batteries.
The robot moves using built-in micromagnets that interact with an external magnetic field. By adjusting the direction and frequency of this field, researchers can precisely control its flight path. This approach eliminates bulky electronics, making the robot nearly invisible and completely silent.
The innovation opens new possibilities in microrobotics, particularly in environments where traditional drones are impractical — such as environmental monitoring, rescue missions, enclosed spaces, or biological research.
In the future, scientists aim to miniaturize the device even further — up to 10 times smaller — allowing it to be controlled by weaker fields, including radio waves. This could enable remote control in environments where magnetic navigation is limited.
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