The Military Is Studying Hawks So It Can Build Drones that Fly 45 MPH Indoors

In what seems like a pin on a military dream board, the Defense Department's advanced technology research lab—DARPA—posted to its YouTube page some BBC nature documentary foo​tage of a camera-saddled goshawk flying. The incredibly nimble and fast goshawk can reach flight speeds of up to 55 miles​ per hour while effortlessly navigating dense forests.

According to the video description, DARPA's fast lightweight aut​onomy program is working to develop hawk-like UAVs that are small, fast, and agile, using birds like goshawks as inspiration. The goal is to develop UAVs "small enough to fit through an open window and able to fly at speeds up to 20 meters per second (45 miles per hour)—while navigating within complex indoor spaces independent of communication with outside operators or sensors and without reliance on GPS waypoints."

Just imagine a drone stalking you like a goshawk stalking its prey:

DARPA isn't the only group looking to birds of prey to improve its UAV technology. Researchers at MIT have been studying gos​hawks to determine how fast they can make drones fly without compromising agility. Aside from birds of prey capturing some of the best animal-directed GoPr​o footage on the internet, they could unlock the secret to smaller, more efficient, and more terrifying military drones.​