Scientists aim to be lord of robot spy flies

BRITISH military scientists are developing robot flies that can be sent in swarms to spy out enemy positions.

Dr Rafal Zbikowski, the project leader, believes the first machine insects could be buzzing around his lab within ten years. He has already produced a non-airborne prototype that mimics the wing-beats of a hover fly.

Unlike conventional unmanned air vehicles (UAVs), Dr Zbikowski's tiny drones could operate in confined and cluttered spaces within buildings, stairwells, tunnels or caves.

They would be invaluable for rooting out hidden terrorists, or - with more peaceful roles in mind - helping to locate victims of natural disasters such as earthquakes. Industrial applications might involve inspecting chemical pipes or mines.

The United States military, which is partly funding the research, has even expressed an interest in using the robots to deliver small explosive charges.

They would be the ultimate "smart" weapon, able to destroy a specific target - such as a computer - without having to bomb whole facilities.

Dr Zbikowski is based at the Defence College of Management and Technology at Cranfield University in Shrivenham, Oxfordshire. His work has a wide range of funding support, including the Ministry of Defence, the US military and the US space agency NASA.

The robot flies are expected to be electrically powered and largely autonomous.

This would allow swarms of the devices to operate in cluttered environments where they cannot be seen.