Devastated schoolboy whose rat died stuffs animal and turns it into ‘RatCopter’ flying drone

A schoolboy left devastated by the death of his pet rat has had the animal stuffed - and turned him into a radio-controlled ‘RatCopter’ flying drone.

Pepeijn Bruins, 13, was heartbroken when his pet Ratjetoe - Dutch for Rattatouille - was stricken with cancer and he had to have him put down.

But inventors Arjen Beltman and Bart Jansen came to his aid and stuffed the rat, attaching radio-controlled propellers to let the rodent fly.

The result is the world's first airborne rat, which follows the bonkers Dutchmen's previous work - a flying cat.

Pepeijn said: 'I loved him very much. He always liked to be cuddled and he would run up my clothes and hide.

'When I learned he had cancer and the vet had to put him to sleep I was very upset.

'I had seen Bart and Arjen and their flying cat, and I asked my dad if it would be possible to have the rat fly.'

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The rat has three propellers and an on board computer, which receives directions from the remote control.

Bart and Arjen have also made a flying ostrich and are working on a jet-propelled flying shark.

Arjen said: 'When I heard the boy's rat had died of cancer, and how upset he was, I just knew I had to help.

'Technically, it was very different to the cat, it has three rotors instead of four, and being a small rodent, it is extremely lightweight, so prone to being blown by the wind.'

Bart added: 'Flight is man's greatest achievement, so why not give it to more animals? The world needs more flying animals.'

Their weird work will be showcased in a documentary on bizarre the world of taxidermy.

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All Creatures Great and Stuffed, on Channel 4 this Wednesday night, follows the crazy lives of taxidermists around the world.

Matt Rudge, who directed the film, said: 'Everything I caught on camera during this documentary was jaw dropping, from a man that freeze dries beloved dead pets for their grieving owners, to a shop selling creations made from roadkill.

'However, the inventions of Bart and Arjen were something else.  I never thought I would see a cat fly, let alone it also flying after a rat with propellers.

'When they then told me their next plan was for a Jet powered Shark, i thought they were winding me up. But three months later it was ready to launch.'