Dragonfly drones and cyborg moths: Tiny flying robots set to be the future of spying and rescue missions

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Housefly: Scientists hope to harness insects' extraordinary flying ability to cut down the size of military drones

The next generation of military robots is set to be based on designs inspired by the insect world.

The dragonfly drones and cyborg moths, with in-built micro-cameras, could revolutionise spying missions and rescue operations.

The advantage of using drones is that they can be used in emergency situations too dangerous for people and in secret military surveillance raids.


Drone: Unmanned aircraft are currently used for surveillance and bombing missions, but their large size makes them unwieldy


And new research suggests that the mechanics of insects can be reverse-engineered to design midget machines to scout battlefields and search for victims trapped in rubble.

Scientists have taken their inspiration from animals which have evolved over millennia to the perfect conditions for flight.

Zoologist Richard Bomphrey, of Oxford University, is leading a study to generate new insight into how insect wings have evolved over the last 350 million years.

He said: 'Nature has solved the problem of how to design miniature flying machines.

'By learning those lessons, our findings will make it possible to aerodynamically engineer a new breed of surveillance vehicles that, because they are as small as insects and also fly like them, completely blend into their surroundings.'

source: dailymail

Love is… two dragonflies mating

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

True love: These dragonflies remarkably formed a heart shape while mating

This picture shows two dragonflies making love in the most romantic way - by forming a heart shape.

Shocked Chelyapin Dmitry almost choked on his picnic as he sat with his family by a lake near his hometown of Chelyabinsk, Russia.

Out of the corner of his eye, he was stunned to see the pair creating the universal sign of love.

Chelyapin quickly dropped his sandwiches and grabbed his point-and-shoot digital camera to snap this incredible close-up picture of the moment.

The amateur snapper's amazing shots perfectly capture the bright blue dragonfly and its brown companion topping and tailing in the warm summer sunshine.

The 46-year-old said: 'It was a hot day. We had a rest by a lake and had a picnic. I saw the dragonflies out of the corner of my eye and just started laughing.

'I was surprised to see them making a heart shape - it was very unusual taking into consideration the awkward way they were going about making love and continuing the never ending circle of life.

'But everything in life happens for a reason - I believe it was a sign that love was in the air.'

The amateur photographer nicknamed the dragonflies Yin and Yang after spending 20 minutes watching and photographing them.

He added: 'Nature is all about love and these images show that.'


source :dailymail

Wait for it, wait for it, and ... strike! The extraordinary patience shown by a heron before it pounces on a dragonfly

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

One of the dragonflies lands on the green heron's beak while all the while the bird keeps a close eye on them both


Patience is clearly also a virtue in the heron world as this specimen demonstrated before snatching its dinner.

The bird eyed up two of the insects as they danced before its beak before lashing out and one unawares.

The whole amazing sequence of the dragonflies dancing before the green heron was caught on camera.

And it was the bird, sat on a branch at Village Creek park in Texas, U.S., which had the last laugh.


My moment has come. The heron makes its move and the dragonflies rise up to flee. The one on the far right escapes, the other ...


Wildlife photographer Steve Wheeler, 53, who captured the dramatic moment, said: 'When I first spotted the heron I could see he was hunting, so I had my lens focused on him and my finger on the shutter release for quite a while.

'They are generally fairly secretive birds and stay well hidden in thick cover along the water's edge.

'I've only ever seen one very quickly a couple of times, so I was really excited even to get a close up look at this guy.

'Before I knew it, I these two, mating dragonflies came into the view finder, fluttering around together.

'They were obviously preoccupied because they flew closer and closer to the heron. It must have been a dream come true for the heron.

'He just opened up his beak and snatched one from right in front of him - he was lighting fast and deadly accurate.


No escape: The heron's moment has come and while it's toast for the dragonfly, it's dinner for the bird


Savouring its snack: Just part of the dragonfly's wing can be seen sticking out of the bird's beak


'As I was watching this little mini drama unfold, it felt like it took forever - time seemed to slow way down.

'It was only after I loaded the images on the computer that I realized the total elapsed time was only 43 seconds between "first strike" and "last gulp."

'It was crazy to see and photograph.'


source: dailymail