Bees Help Planes Reduce Flight Length

Scientists are using bees, highly efficient flyers, as inspiration to help develop new technology that will cut flying times on commercial airplanes.

The research undertaken by Polish and Colombian scientists found bees are experts at finding the most efficient flight path. Over the past three years, the researchers developed software that mimics the behavior of bees and cuckoos, and looks at how they decide their routes. One aspect of the software uses principles of how a swarm of bees moves; they constantly absorb knowledge of where to move in relation to others in the swarm.

The second part of the research looked at the behavior of the cuckoo bird, which lays its eggs in other birds’ nests. Cuckoos travel long and straight routes before quickly turning up to 90 degrees.

The research will hopefully help airlines reduce greenhouse gas emissions, cut noise pollution and decrease operating costs by lowering fuel usage. It’s already been tested on the Airbus A320 — one of the most popular short-haul aircraft in service.

The software cut the distance of the trips by 11 kilometers on average, saving 1 percent of operating costs. While not a huge number, that amount can certainly add up over time.