Visual control of navigation in insects and its relevance for robotics

Flying insects display remarkable agility, despite their diminutive eyes and brains. This review describes our growing understanding of how these creatures use visual information to stabilize flight, avoid collisions with objects, regulate flight speed, detect and intercept other flying insects such as mates or prey, navigate to a distant food source, and orchestrate flawless landings. It also outlines the ways in which these insights are now being used to develop novel, biologically inspired strategies for the guidance of autonomous, airborne vehicles.

► Flying insects rely heavily on cues derived from image motion. ► These cues are used to stabilise flight, avoid collisions, and guide landings. ► Vision is also crucial in long-range navigation. ► These biological insights are spawning novel aircraft guidance systems.