( CNN ) -- For most of us , watching a fly mindlessly bouncing against a window in an effort to escape , is pretty annoying -- perhaps even infuriating . For a team of Swiss scientists , this stubborn maneuver could change the face of search-and-rescue missions forever . Introducing GimBall -- a spherical flying robot encased in a flexible cage , which allows it to happily smash into surfaces while navigating disaster sites . Bounce back . Unlike other rescue robots , where colliding with obstacles could easily spell the end of an expedition , GimBall is able to bounce back without losing its bearings or damaging its in-built camera . The futuristic floating ball is the brainchild of scientists at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology ( EPFL ) , and it 's hoped that one day it will be used for everything from searching for survivors to measuring gas leaks in collapsed buildings . Watch : Flying robots perform amazing acrobatics . `` We were wondering why insects were so capable of going inside any building -- yet had limited senses such as eyesight , '' explained co-creator Adrien Briod . `` One capability that was completely overlooked was their ability to collide into surfaces . For insects this is n't a big deal -- but it is for robots . '' Flying to the rescue . Indeed , one of the first major search-and-rescue missions to use robots was in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks on New York 's Twin Towers -- an area deemed too dangerous or inaccessible to humans . However , the ground-dwelling machines sometimes found it difficult to negotiate the collapsed World Trade Center , becoming stuck in the rubble . In the last decade , robotics has come a long way , with scientists increasingly looking at the benefits of flying machines in disaster zones . Watch : Flying robots inspired by birds . `` A ground robot will very quickly be limited -- even a staircase is difficult . If you need to reach people on the fifth floor of a building , it wo n't be able to do it , '' said Briod . `` Flying allows you to overcome large obstacles . And it provides an elevated point of view -- it 's very useful to have an image of the scene from eye level , than from the floor . '' Clever design . So how does Gimball work ? With a 37 centimeter diameter , the robot is a little larger than a basketball . Featuring a stable inner frame , and a rotating outer frame made of 90 flexible carbon rods , it is able to bounce off surfaces without damaging the machine . While other robots might need heavy sensors to help avoid collisions , GimBall keeps things light , weighing just 370 grams . Two propellers help it fly along at 5 kilometers per hour , with enough battery power to last five minutes . It can either be remote controlled , or fly autonomously , sending back footage to operators . Briod now hopes the pioneering design will be used in real lifesaving missions within the next year , and said we were on the brink of a new era in technology where drones were used in everyday life . `` Up until now , the military had all the drones out there , but in the last few years there 's been a huge development in civilian use , '' he said . `` Technology is developing really fast in the field of remote control -- drones are used in rescue missions , fire , or inspecting unstable buildings , bridges , and boats . '' Sci-Fi future . The research team recently took GimBall for a spin in a Swiss woodland , watching it smash into trees , roll along uneven ground , and negotiate branches -- all without damaging its inner workings . It appeared like a rogue alien aircraft that had been left behind on a mission to Earth . So what is it about flying robots that continues to capture our imaginations in a way few other pieces of tech can ? `` It 's not limited to 2D -- that 's what fascinates people , this freedom to move in the third dimension , '' said Briod . `` And seeing your creation flying is extremely satisfying . ''
Introducing GimBall , the flying robot that moves like a fly . The machine features a protective cage that lets it bounce off surfaces . Includes a small in-built camera . Swiss scientists hope it will be used in search and rescue missions in the future .