The world of robotics oftentimes takes its inspiration from the real world. That’s why we still have scientists working on humanoid robots that can walk, run and climb stairs. What if I told you that scientists have now developed a robot that acts like a water strider, able to actually jump across the surface of water? Well, they have and the video is below.

This incredible little robot is the creation of Jie Zhao and his colleagues at Harbin Institute of Technology in China. The water strider-like robot is made with water-repellent nickel. This allows it to “float” on top of the water and then with its robotic legs, it is able to propel itself into the air and leap forward. No, it’s not the fastest thing in the world, but it’s still pretty amazing to see.

To put things into perspective, this robot weighs approximately 1,000 times what an actual water strider weighs. Looking ahead, more advanced version of this robot could be used for surveillance missions by the military or for other government projects where they need to transverse a body of water. No one would ever suspect a water strider of spying on them, right?

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The robot has wheels that are larger than its chassis and it has a gyroscopic stabilization system that keeps it steady while in the air. This helps it recover from the inevitable impact after jumping and tumbling onto the new surface. The jump itself is achieved by way of a carbon dioxide-powered piston and the jump is accurate enough to get the Sand Flea through a second story window.

The application here is primarily for the military, especially since the Sand Flea is capable of sending video back to its operator up to 650 yards away. This is fantastic for getting over walls and into buildings, offering the military much safer recon work. I imagine the military would replace the white wheels for black ones for better camouflage, but this 11-pound design looks seriously solid and versatile.

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