DARPA's Hummingbird Spybot = Awesome

[Daryn]

I just saw this story over on Engadget about the Nano Hummingbird. This is some really cool technology. And, it's like a Hummingbird, which are cool to begin with.

Here's the video they've got of it.

[Brome Teks]

Awesome. Looks like it's got pretty good maneuverability, and if it's string enough to both fly and lift a camera and transmitter (Or at least data storage), then it's got some pretty good lift to weight ratios. Also looks nice an maneuverable, More than my toy helicopter, but maybe not quite as much as a quad rotor drone. (Though it is certainly smaller)

[Daryn]

I don't expect to see it showing up in shops anytime soon, but I wish it would. It looks like it could be a lot of fun. Like the Parrot AR Drone only smaller.

[Dusty]

They just keep getting smaller don't they?

The very first remote controlled aircraft were B-17's in the latter stages of WW2. They were gonna try and use them as a massive flying bombs. It didn't work too well.


Now we have a working model of a UAV the size of a coke can. Wow.

[SliceOfDog]

That's pretty cool. I walked past the TV earlier and heard them saying something about a hummingbird and batteries, so it must have been this, or else David Attenborough got really bored

[Tha_Pig]

It looks awesome. However, recently the word "nano" keeps being improperly used, for which I blame Apple.

[themnax]

ah there we go. i like that.

it just need to be, everything like that, needs to be for everyone to be able to do and use. not just for governments.

[Daryn]

ah there we go. i like that.

it just need to be, everything like that, needs to be for everyone to be able to do and use. not just for governments.

I'm sure that kind of technology will trickle down to everyday people soon enough. Already there is the Parrot AR Drone that you can buy for about $300. It's not as small as the Hummingbird, but it does show that the technology is making its way down.