In 1485, DaVinci had drawn a way for humans to mimic and fly like a bird in the ornithopter [see (14)85 entry in this blog]. Nanotechnology has taken that idea of animal mimicry in a new direction. Less than 15 grams, the Nano Hummingbird which can flaps its wings can also hover and fly in any direction.
AeroVironment’s Nano Hummingbird – “Employing biological mimicry at an extremely small scale, this unconventional aircraft could someday provide new reconnaissance and surveillance capabilities in urban environments.”
For more details about AV and the nano hummingbird, click here.