Honeybee Robotics is a research and development (R&D) engineering company that specializes in creating advanced electromechanical systems for both terrestrial and space applications. The company focuses on enhancing user experiences and extending capabilities beyond current technological limits. Honeybee Robotics operates in the aerospace and defense markets, primarily serving clients such as NASA and other space exploration entities.

The company’s business model revolves around providing R&D services to develop high-performance systems tailored to the specific needs of its clients. Honeybee Robotics makes money by securing contracts and grants, particularly from government agencies like NASA. These contracts often come in the form of Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) awards, which fund the development of innovative technologies.

Honeybee Robotics has a proven track record of success, with notable achievements such as the successful testing of PlanetVac on the suborbital Xodiac rocket and the deployment of a solar array system on the NSPO FORMOSAT 5 mission. The company has also been selected to send payloads to the Moon and has secured multiple Phase I and Phase II SBIR awards from NASA for various projects, including spacecraft, drilling, and sampling system development.

In 2017, Honeybee Robotics was acquired by Ensign Bickford Industries, a long-established corporation based in Connecticut. This acquisition has enabled Honeybee to expand its development of advanced spacecraft and robotic technologies.

Keywords: R&D, engineering, electromechanical systems, space, NASA, SBIR, STTR, aerospace, defense, innovation.