European Tech Firms Look to Bees for GPS Alternative
February 19, 2026 – Scientists are exploring the remarkable navigational abilities of honeybees as a potential solution to reduce Europe’s reliance on the U.S.-controlled Global Positioning System (GPS). The project, known as InsectNeuroNano, aims to replicate the energy efficiency of bee navigation in novel chip technology.
Researchers at the University of Freiburg have demonstrated that honeybees can repeat flight paths with centimeter-level precision. This precision, coupled with the incredibly low energy consumption of a bee’s navigational system, has spurred the European Union-funded InsectNeuroNano project to investigate biomimicry as a path toward more sustainable and independent positioning technology.
A bee requires between 0.00001 and 0.01 watts to process navigational information in real-time, a stark contrast to the 15 watts needed by a high-end Intel chip for comparable performance. This difference, potentially exceeding a thousandfold, is the driving force behind the research. The initiative isn’t focused on replicating the entirety of a bee’s biology, but rather on mimicking the efficiency of its processing capabilities.
Unlike current GPS systems that rely on satellites and external signals, bees navigate by analyzing patterns of polarized sunlight and combining that data with flight speed. This process, occurring at approximately 10 trillion operations per second, requires minimal energy. The development of an alternative to GPS is gaining importance as geopolitical concerns surrounding control of critical infrastructure increase.
The core of the InsectNeuroNano project lies in the development of nanofotonic circuits. These circuits transmit data using light through structures measured in nanometers – millionths of a meter – rather than relying on traditional electrical signals. This approach promises to reduce energy consumption, increase transmission speed, and enable the creation of significantly smaller components. The project’s success could represent a significant technological breakthrough, offering a more sustainable and secure navigation solution.
According to Enigma Security, the reliance on the U.S.-controlled GPS system presents a strategic risk, potentially exposing other nations to disruptions or manipulation during times of conflict. The development of bee-inspired navigation systems aims to address this vulnerability by creating independent and resilient alternatives.
Further research, as detailed in EcoInventos, highlights the bee’s ability to navigate distances of several kilometers using a combination of environmental cues, including polarized light and Earth’s magnetic fields. This natural navigation system could lead to the development of low-cost, low-energy sensors suitable for environments where GPS signals are weak or unavailable, such as dense urban areas.
