Buzz
Drones serve as valuable tools for environmental research, but their use can sometimes disrupt the very ecosystems they aim to study. To address this, a new drone has been developed using sustainable, biodegradable materials.
The "biodrone" was created by a team of students from Brown, Spelman, and Stanford Universities, in partnership with NASA’s Ames Research Center. Lynn Rothschild, a NASA biologist and the project’s lead, shared insights with Discover magazine. She drew inspiration from a 2013 incident where a 400-pound research drone nearly caused environmental damage after crashing off the Alaskan coast. Fortunately, it was recovered by fishermen before any harm occurred. Rothschild’s goal is to prevent such risks by designing drones that leave minimal ecological impact when they crash.
The prototype was developed in collaboration with Ecovative, a material science company. The drone’s frame is made from mycelium, a fungal root material, which was grown in a mold using leaf and grass cuttings. Once the mycelium filled the mold, it was dried at 180 to 200°F to create a lightweight structure. This structure was coated with cellulose acetate and a waterproof protein derived from paper wasp saliva. The propellers were crafted from biodegradable plastic, similar to that used in eco-friendly utensils. While a fully biodegradable motor remains theoretical, future possibilities include bacterial fuel cells for power and dissolvable cameras made with ultra-thin silicon or electronics printed on cellulose acetate sheets using water-soluble silver nanoparticle ink.
As reported by WIRED, these biodrones could also prove useful for Mars missions. By growing a drone on Mars from cellular samples, NASA could significantly reduce both the cost and space required for transportation. The biogenerative capabilities of such drones might also enable one-way research missions, eliminating the need to recover hazardous materials. Instead of posing a threat to the environment, the drone could decompose harmlessly, potentially even serving as a nutrient source for local organisms.
