Behold the Robotic Bat, Which We Promise Doesn't Bite

(playful pensive music)

[Narrator] If you're afraid of bats, I've got good news.

This isn't actually a flying mammal.

It's a robot, and it promises to transform

how engineers design drones.

So, bad news is, robot bats

could soon be flying all around you.

The bot's skeleton is made of carbon fiber,

which supports a membrane of silicone.

All told, it weighs just three ounces.

And it's actually somewhat autonomous,

diving and banking on its own.

It can't travel too far at the moment,

but in the future, the robot could come

in very handy for military reconnaissance.

Better yet, rescuers could use it in disasters

to explore collapsed buildings.

You see, quadcopters may be relatively stable,

but they're not nearly as maneuverable

or resilient as a bat.

Clip a wall with a quadcopter, and it's game over;

but a robot with flexible wings

might just be able to recover.

So, good news!

One day a bat could save your life.

It won't bite, I promise.

(playful pensive music)