A $10 million Army grant recently awarded to the University of Michigan, the University of California at Berkeley and the University of New Mexico could help spur development of tiny sensors and electronics that would make a six-inch-long, four-ounce surveillance plane a reality. Dubbed “the bat,” the plane would use a tiny onboard radar array to navigate and would be powered by solar cells and a small battery, according to a news release from the University of Michigan. The plane’s equipment would include detectors for nuclear radiation and toxic gases, as well as very small cameras. There is no timeline to have “the bat” flying or in production, though the five-year grant could be extended for another five years after that depending on how the research progresses. The small unmanned aerial vehicle could scout ahead of advancing troops, or take up a position atop a building or telephone pole, gather data and then fly to another spot.