SQ-4 Recon, One Of The Smallest Unmanned Aerial Vehicles In The World

Military chiefs believe a £20,000 spy drone called the SQ-4 Recon, one of the smallest unmanned aerial vehicles in the world, will save soldiers’ lives in Afghanistan.

It is a miniature version of Little Nellie – the autogyro flown by James Bond in the film You Only Live Twice.

The ‘nanodrone’ contains two cameras which allow soldiers to look over hills and inside enemy bunkers without the risk of being killed or injured.

It can be operated remotely by troops sitting in a control room thousands of miles away or by soldiers on patrol using a seven-inch tablet computer.

Weighing just seven ounces and with a nine-inch diameter, the nanodrone can fly and hover for 30 minutes or switch off its engines and perch like a bird on the ledge of a building, and, without being spotted, zoom in on suspicious activities for up to eight hours.

Its cameras can transmit live images or take still photos or video footage using day or night vision.