LONDON — The Ministry of Defence in the United Kingdom has allocated £800 million to develop next-generation technologies for military purposes.

The new technologies currently being developed include a tiny unmanned aerial vehicle, inspired by the biology of a dragonfly, a quantum gravimeter and laser weapons.

“This new approach will help to keep Britain safe while supporting our economy, with our brightest brains keeping us ahead of our adversaries,” the Telegraph quoted Michael Fallon, the Defence Secretary as saying.

According to the Telegraph, the drone is less than five inches long. It will be equipped with a camera and microphone for surveillance purposes. It can fly up to 45 miles per hour. The drone will be used to gather intel for troops at locations that are difficult and dangerous to access.

The quantum gravimeter, developed by the University of Birmingham, is a gravity imager using cold atom quantum technology. It can explore multiple routes simultaneously so that it can be used to map out any large structures or tunnels underground within minutes.

The funding will be used to support innovative projects over a 10-year period.