Festo BionicSwift

Not for sale

Not for sale (research)Not programmableRobotic swallow swarmUWB indoor GPS42 g

Not for saleShipping: Not for sale.

Remote control: Not possible. Flights are planned by Festo's own UWB navigation system.

Overview

The successor to SmartBird at a fraction of the weight. Five artificial swifts fly loops and tight turns autonomously in a room fitted with ultra-wideband anchors, correcting their own paths when disturbed. The feathered wing design opens gaps on the upstroke and closes on the downstroke like real plumage. A showcase project, not a product.

Type: Flapping-wing robot · Flapping-wing robots
Maker: Festo Bionic Learning Network (Germany)
Released: 2020
Price: Not for sale
Status: Not for sale (research)
Best for: Professionals & labs
Programming: No programmability

Price and shipping

Research demonstrator, unveiled by Festo in early July 2020.

Shipping: Not for sale. Never sold.

Specifications

Category	Flapping-wing fliers · Flapping-wing robots
Released	2020
Country	Germany
Availability	Not for sale (research)
Sales	5 robotic birds built for the 2020 swarm demo, never sold New Atlas ↗
Programmability	No programmability
Built-in autonomy	Navigates · Goes to places on its own, such as mapped rooms, waypoints or its charging dock
LLM support	None · No built-in LLM and no SDK to connect one.
Best for	Professionals & labs
Vision sensors	No vision sensors
Actuators	Mixed
Audio	No audio
Compute type	Arduino / ESP32 / microcontroller, Laptop / PC as the brain
Remote control	Not programmable
Size	44.5 cm body, 68 cm wingspan, 42 g
Locomotion	Flapping wings with overlapping foam 'feather' lamellae, brushless motor plus two servos (wingbeat and elevator)
Compute	On-board boards for control, radio and localisation, routes planned by a central master computer
Camera	None
Sensors	UWB radio marker for localisation against room anchors
Runtime	About 7 min per flight
Speed	Not published
SDK	None public