'Flying fish' robot can propel itself 26 metres off the surface

A nature-inspired robot using water and combustible powder can launch itself from water like a flying fish. The device, which can travel 26 metres through the air after take-off, could potentially be used to collect water samples in hazardous environments, such as floods. Researchers at Imperial College London created the system, which weighs just 160 grams and can'jump' multiple times after refilling its water tank. Furthermore, while similar robots often require calm conditions to leap from the water, the team's invention generates a force 25 times the robot's weight, giving it a greater chance of overcoming choppy waves. The water and the calcium-carbide powder combine in a reaction chamber, producing a burnable acetylene gas.