'plan bee' drone artificially pollinates flowers on behalf of bees

industrial designer anna haldewang has created a bee-like drone that could replace real bees in pollinating flowers, should the population die out. aptly named ‘plan bee’ the prototype is a self sustainable device that works peacefully alongside nature in order to continue to growth of plants by cross-pollination. the project draws parallels with earlier research from this year by japanese scientist eijiro miyako, who successfully pollinated a flower using a $100 drone from amazon covered with patches of horse hair. 

the plan bee drone is designed to mimic the shape of a flower

‘plan bee’ builds on the concept of drone pollination, taking the design a step further. the drone is created to mirror the image of a flower while it interacts with the plant, and the essence of the bee is reproduced through the drone’s black and yellow stripes. upon approaching a flower, ‘plan bee’ sucks up pollen through holes on its underneath, working similar to a vacuum cleaner. as it moves on to the next flower, plan bee’s top vents push air through, causing the pollen to fall out and reproducing the natural cross-pollination pattern of a bee. 

the drones could be reproduced to work on a large agricultural scale

the propellers on the drone are specifically designed to help push air through the top vents, releasing the pollen. ‘plan bee’ incorporates a camera underneath the drone, which is able to detect flowers using ultra-violet light, mimiking the sight of a bee. haldewang explains the importance of using artificial pollination on a global scale, stating that ‘this concept has the ability to move beyond a backyard and into the future of hydroponics and space.’ the project is designed to raise awareness about the declining bee population, caused by the use of pesticides and chemicals. 

plan bee concept is designed to raise awareness about the world’s declining bee population

the bee drone is designed to work peacefully alongside nature