These drones scuttle, swarm, slither, and squirm

The Pentagon is looking increasingly like The Island of Doctor Moreau

This seagull robot
(Image credit: (Festo Bionic Learning Network))

Once inspired by slow-moving prop planes, military researchers are increasingly turning to the deadly bio-mechanics of the animal kingdom for their blueprints. Think drones that scuttle, swarm, slither, and squirm.

But as scary as that sounds, fear isn't the primary motivator behind these drones. This isn't PSYOPS. Instead, by mimicking nature, drones have become smaller, lighter, and more nondescript than ever. In other words, they're becoming even more stealthy. They'll soon be able to operate autonomously, conduct surveillance missions for days on end, and even re-charge their own batteries while on the prowl.

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Eugene K. Chow is a speechwriter and freelance journalist. He is the former executive editor of Homeland Security NewsWire. Previously, he was a research assistant at the Center for A New American Security, a Washington-D.C. based think tank.