Olfactory Intelligence in Bio-Hybrid UAVs: Integrating Living Lepidoptera Sensors for High-Precision Environmental Monitoring

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This is an unedited manuscript accepted for publication and provided as an Article in Press for early access at the author’s request. The article will undergo copyediting, typesetting, and galley proof review before final publication. Please be aware that errors may be identified during production that could affect the content. All legal disclaimers of the journal apply.

Year : 2026 | Volume : 04 | 02 | Page :
    By

    Nisha Rawat,

  1. UG Student, Department of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, Greater Noida Institute of Technology, Greater Noida, Uttar pradesh, India

Abstract

Autonomous aerial systems still face major challenges when attempting to locate airborne volatile organic compounds because many conventional gas sensors react slowly and cannot reliably follow turbulent chemical plumes. To address this limitation, a bio-hybrid sensing approach was explored using the antenna of the silkworm moth, Bombyx mori, as a natural chemical detector. The antenna was connected to an Electroantennogram (EAG) system that converts biological nerve signals into digital signals usable by the drone. A small chamber was designed to maintain the biological tissue, and signal processing circuits were used to reduce electrical noise from the drone’s motors. The drone also followed a zigzag search pattern similar to the moth’s natural behaviour when tracking odors. Experimental testing demonstrated that the biological sensor could recognize trace-level chemical signals and generate measurable responses in approximately 80 milliseconds, demonstrating faster performance than many traditional electronic sensors while maintaining high sensitivity, stability, repeatability, robustness, accuracy, under diverse environmental operating conditions. The proposed system combines biological sensing, signal conditioning, and bio-inspired navigation into a unified UAV architecture designed for high-precision environmental monitoring. This approach has potential applications in industrial gas leak detection, environmental surveillance, hazardous chemical monitoring, and search-and-rescue operations where rapid and accurate odor detection is essential.

Keywords: Bio-hybrid UAVs, Bombyx mori, Electroantennogram (EAG), Environmental Monitoring, Chemical Plume Tracking, Bio-inspired Robotics, Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)

How to cite this article:
Nisha Rawat. Olfactory Intelligence in Bio-Hybrid UAVs: Integrating Living Lepidoptera Sensors for High-Precision Environmental Monitoring. International Journal of Electrical and Communication Engineering Technology. 2026; 04(02):-.
How to cite this URL:
Nisha Rawat. Olfactory Intelligence in Bio-Hybrid UAVs: Integrating Living Lepidoptera Sensors for High-Precision Environmental Monitoring. International Journal of Electrical and Communication Engineering Technology. 2026; 04(02):-. Available from: https://journals.stmjournals.com/ijecet/article=2026/view=249994


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Ahead of Print Subscription Review Article
Volume 04
02
Received 15/07/2026
Accepted 16/07/2026
Published 17/07/2026
Publication Time 2 Days
43

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