| | |

Festo’s BionicSwift: New Impulses for Factory and Process Automation

Date

The BionicSwifts are agile, maneuverable, and can even fly loops and steep turn

In everyday factory operations, automation technology performs typical tasks such as gripping, moving and positioning goods, and controlling and regulating processes. Nature solves all these tasks naturally, simply, and energy efficiently. What could be more logical than to examine these natural phenomena and learn from them? This is why in 2006 Festo set up an international research network linking Festo to well-known universities, institutes, development companies, and private inventors: the Bionic Learning Network.

The BionicSwifts are agile, maneuverable, and can even fly loops and steep turns. By interacting with a radio-based indoor GPS system, the five robotic birds are capable of moving autonomously in a coordinated pattern in a defined airspace.

Festo's bionicswift: New Impulses for Factory and Process Automation

More Information

Festo

BionicSwift

Related Story

BionicBee: Autonomous Flying in a Swarm

For more than 15 years, the Bionic Learning Network has been focusing on the fascination of flying. In addition to the technical decoding of bird flight, the team has researched and technologically implemented numerous other flying objects and their natural principles. With the BionicBee, the Bionic Learning Network has now for the first time developed a flying object that can fly in large numbers and completely autonomously in a swarm. The BionicBee will present its first flight show at the Hannover Messe 2024.

Related Articles


Latest Articles

  • Don’t Serve Before Tasting: A Lean Approach to Gated Management

    November 6, 2025 ver tried serving dinner before tasting it? That’s what many small and mid-sized manufacturers unknowingly do when they rush a new product into production. On paper, everything looks perfect: BOMs finalized, fixtures designed, suppliers lined up. But the first batch rolls out, and suddenly the “dish” tastes wrong: tolerances don’t hold, costs exceed plan, or the customer’s… Read More…

  • 30 Years of RADARSAT Data: Canada’s Legacy in Earth Observation

    November 6, 2025 This year marks a milestone for Canada’s space program: the RADARSAT program is celebrating 30 years of innovation, collaboration, and global impact! Since the launch of RADARSAT-1 on November 4, 1995, RADARSAT satellites have transformed how we observe our planet. They have supported everything from disaster response and climate monitoring to safe navigation at sea and sustainable… Read More…


Featured Article

Revolutionizing Material Movement with Autonomous Mobile Robots

Revolutionizing Material Movement with Autonomous Mobile Robots

In today’s fast-paced manufacturing and logistics industries, the need for efficient and flexible material movement solutions has never been greater. Traditional methods like conveyor systems, forklifts, and manual pushcarts have served us well, but they come with limitations.

That’s why Omron is thrilled to announce the launch of their game-changing MD Series of Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs). Read more


Products

  • New Power Supply with IO-Link Interface and Integrated Display Introduced by PULS

    November 6, 2025 PULS’ new CP20.248-IOL is a highly reliable 24 Vdc DIN rail power supply. The device provides efficient and time-saving configuration, operation monitoring and remote control. Using the built-in IO-Link interface and the front panel display, user-defined power supply and application data, such as the AC and DC quality of the system, can be monitored in… Read More…

  • A 1,000-Metre Lead with Single-Pair Ethernet Switches from Weidmüller

    November 6, 2025 The new unmanaged switch from Weidmüller impresses with its long range and power transmission and meets the requirements of PROFINET conformance class A. Weidmüller is introducing a new unmanaged switch with SPE connection. The switches raise the performance of industrial applications to a new level. While the SPE technology increases the range… Read More…