BioniCopter’s the Giant Robot Dragonfly You Will Want to Freak Out Your Friends With

Need another reason to go to the Hannover Messe tech conference next month? How about seeing the official debut of BioniCopter, a mechanical dragonfly with a wingspan measuring over two feet? If you can’t fly all the way to Germany to check it out, though, don’t fret — we’ve got you covered with footage of the coolest enormous robot bug you will ever see.

BioniCopter was built by Festo, a tech firm that has taken cues from nature to improve robotic flight before with their SmartBird. With a 63-centimeter wingspan and weighing in at just 175 grams, BioniCopter is a pretty neat addition to their lineup that offers some insight into new types of flight.

Though it’s not on display in the video, Festo brags that the BioniCopter’s dragonfly-inspired design allows it to do all sorts of neat things in the air, like glide, make hard banking turns, hover in place, and even fly backwards. We’ll look forward to seeing the proof of those claims after the robot makes it’s official launch at the trade show next month.

(via Canadian Manufacturing)

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