MetaFly [Photo provided to China Daily]

This radio-controlled insect brings a new vision to the world of drones.

If you've been struggling to get your drone off the ground, then perhaps it's time to switch to a different flying experience – with the MetaFly, a lifelike, remote-controlled biomimetic flying creature that's effectively as light and miniaturised as a big insect.

With a 29cm wingspan, MetaFly's paper-thin synthetic wings are made from carbon fibre and liquid crystal polymer; the ornithopter weighs less than 10 grams. It has a range of 100 meters and can fly for around eight minutes on a 12-minute charge. In favorable conditions, it can reach 20 kilometers per hour.

The owner of the Marseilles-based start-up behind MetaFly, Edwin Van Ruymbeke, previously invented the Bionic Bird in 2014, which has now been rechristened MetaBird. Model birds that can fly aren't new – in fact, they've been used in some form since the 19th century, whether for scaring birds away from airports or as a part of surveillance operations. What distinguishes MetaFly is its greater stealth and precision. You'll have to see what all the buzz is about for yourself…