A self-guiding bullet that can steer itself towards its target is being developed for use by the US military. The bullet uses tiny fins to correct the course of its flight allowing it to hit laser-illuminated targets. It is designed to be capable of hitting objects at distances of about 2km (1.24 miles).

The current prototype involves a 4in (10cm) bullet which includes an optical sensor in its nose to detect the laser. This information is then processed and used to move motors within the bullet which steer tiny fins, altering the ammunition’s path. The work on a prototype suggests that accuracy is best at longer ranges.

In this undated photo provided by Sandia National Laboratories, a time exposure, a light-emitting diode, or LED, attached to a self-guided bullet at Sandia National Laboratories shows a bright path during a nighttime field test. The New Mexico-based Sandia National Laboratories announced Tuesday Jan. 31, 2012 that its engineers have invented a bullet that directs itself to a target like a tiny guided missile and can hit a target more than a mile away. According to Sandia Labs engineers, the bullet twists and turns to guide itself toward a laser-directed point. Officials say it can make up to thirty corrections per second while in the air.

Image Source: AP Photo/Sandia National Laboratories