Pentagon is looking to develop laser-powered bat drones

The Pentagon has launched a new competition for the design of laser-powered drones inspired by bats and insects. In an announcement this week, the Department of Defense revealed its new DESI pilot program is seeking proposals for a number of topics that currently stand as'defense challenges,' including highly maneuverable drones. The competition aims to pave the way for autonomous craft that can operate more efficiently with little intervention from a human pilot, and make swift decisions to change direction and avoid obstacles. Over the last decade, researchers have increasingly been working to mimic natural processes in robotic systems to improve efficiency, like Caltech's BatBot (pictured). High-tech weapons that the Secret Service is not trained to cope with pose a'grave threat' to the White House, a former agent has warned.