Science & technology | Flying construction robots

Teams of drones can print in 3D

They could build and repair where humans cannot reach

1 series:Aerial AM Cementitious 3d print using a custom buildDrone with a delta-arm manipulator. Credit: Videos taken at the Imperial College London Aerial Robotics Laboratory by all partners (Imperial College London, University College London, University of Bath)

Sep 21st 2022

Certain creatures—namely, wasps and bees—have evolved to be adept flying builders. To assemble a hive or nest, worker insects team up to deposit wax, raw wood pulp or their own saliva to the specification of a complex design that ends up being many times their size. This process takes months, many times longer than the average lifespan of all but the queen. The insects must adjust as they go—building plans can change, imperfect materials can deform or break, workers can die.

This article appeared in the Science & technology section of the print edition under the headline “Buzzing builders”