The US Government's experimental robotics division DARPA is looking to build an all-new type of fast-flying drone that can mimic the manoeuvrability of a hawk.
In order to get some idea of what they'll have to build the team have been researching how hawk's fly and just how capable they really are in the wild.
At the top of their list is this Goshawk, a stunning bird-of-prey that has the ability to fly through dense forests at up to 40mph, weaving, diving and changing course in milliseconds.
This video shows a Goshawk with an on-board camera and while the quality isn't great it's hard not to be seriously impressed.
By closely analysing this and other birds DARPA hopes to create a drone that can fly through buildings at up to 20 metres per second making it perfect for reconnaissance.