They might sound like something Bruce Wayne would invest his time tinkering with in the Bat Cave – but we promise, we're building them.

Mother Nature is efficient.

So when NC State researchers began to look for a better way to explore dangerous areas or tight spaces, they looked to the dusk-filled sky, where high-flying, quick-turning bats easily maneuver their way in and out of darkness.

The diminutive, lightweight robo-bat we’ve designed weighs about as much as a quarter, and can flex its metal muscles to mimic the flight patterns of its earthly relatives.

“We are trying to mimic nature as closely as possible,” said Dr. Stefan Seelecke, “because it is very efficient. And, at the micro-aerial vehicle scale, nature tells us that flapping flight – like that of the bat – is the most effective.”

With uses ranging from indoor surveillance, the exploration of collapsed buildings to the detection of potentially harmful biological and chemical agents – it’s like holding the future of public safety in the palm of your hand.