Scientists develop new flying robot that mimics the flight of a fruit flies

A tiny flying robot that can dart through the air like an insect has been unveiled by Dutch scientists. The DelFly Nimble's wings beat at 17 times per second to power the robot at speeds over 15 miles per hour (25kph) - and it can even do a loop-the-loop. Scientists behind the technology based it on the wing movements of fruit flies, and claim it could revolutionise our understanding of insect flight. The researchers, from the Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands, say it can hover, dart left or right and even do barrel rolls. Lead designer Dr Matej Karasek said: 'The robot has a top speed of 25 km/h [15mph] and can even perform aggressive manoeuvres, such as 360-degree flips.