Fruit flies may create a major headache for farmers but this tiny insect also holds remarkable abilities in flight.

Researchers from the University of Washington found Drosophila hydei, a fruit fly species about the size of a sesame seed, to have fighter jet-like speed and agility.

Through high-speed video cameras, operating at 7,500 frames a second, the team was able to carefully observe how the insect reacts in flight.

The researchers uncovered movements similar to that of an aircraft maneuvering to avoid threats, explained Michael Dickinson, UW professor and co-author of the study published in the April 11 issue of Science.

"We discovered that fruit flies alter course in less than one one-hundredth of a second, 50 times faster than we blink our eyes, and which is faster than we ever imagined," he said.

Lead author and postdoctoral researcher Florian Muijres described complex and rapid changes in positioning, including the ability to roll 90 degrees during a banked turn and flight almost upside down.

"These flies normally flap their wings 200 times a second and, in almost a single wing beat, the animal can reorient its body to generate a force away from the threatening stimulus and then continues to accelerate," Muijres said.

Dickinson remarked on how remarkable the behavior is, considering the size of the insect's brain.

"A fly with a brain the size of a salt grain has the behavioral repertoire nearly as complex as a much larger animal such as a mouse. That’s a super interesting problem from an engineering perspective," he said.

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