"The world's smallest full authority helicopter", with rotors just 10cm across, has been successfully flight tested in Norway. Scandinavian microcopter developers hailed the debut of the prototype PD-100 Black Hornet as "a major success".
Sceptical readers in possession of the small battery-powered remote-controlled helicopters …
From the article: "... the Hornet is meant for military use - allowing soldiers a quick and lightweight way to look behind things, inside buildings, through windows and so forth."
So, I expect that terrorists will be trading their AK47's in for 12-bore shotguns.
The one we've got isn't very easy to attack people with you hope there's a vague possability that it's pointing in the right direction and then usually end up flying it into a wall.
However... I want a Stealth copter, with silent blades....
Well, they can't use them out in nominal weather because they are too light. Might be good when the air is still and no rain, but has it been actually tested in normal weather?
Used to fly model helicopters when I was a kid, and you just knew there would be some poor sod who would try out his/her labour of love, for the last 6 months, during a windy session.. only to see it buffet and nose dive into the ground.
Video.. dammit! I want video! Is this not the age of YouTube?
Paris, because she has the right idea about online video..
I've long-wanted a micro chopper that is fully functional, I'm really excited by this, sounds like an excellent toy! Should make a fine replacement for proper helis in poor weather.
the stocking stuffer guys make one that does true hover
#
look up the Silverlit Atlas. It hovers and has true forward and hover. From the pic here, looks like it uses the same electromagnet system as the Atlas.
They also make the "Tandem Z" which is a dual rotor mini Chinook helicopter with forward, reverse, etc.
The biggest difference, the Silverlit models cost a helluva lot less and doesn't "hint" at future features that would only be delivered should a multimillion dollar grant be received.
Companies like this aren't interested in selling kit, they're interested in getting government money.
It's perfect for stalkers and paparazzis. Expect exciting pictures of celebrities having sex filmed through the windows on the 30th floor of high rises.
Imagine these hovering outside MPs and Ministers houses. Well, they've nothing to hide, have they ... otherwise they wouldn't be promoting ID Cards would they?
Well if you just want to get video from places you can't reach, you could get a line-camera and build it into a boomerang. You could then use one of those video transmitters to get the video out to a reciever. There you add vertical sync pulses and store it onto television tape. If you then digitice that you can cross-correlate the individual pictures to get a moving panorama that stands in place, more or less. Alternatively you can use the front and back porch of your video signal to encode the direction from a compas.
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Norwegians demo 10cm video & GPS pocket-chopper
"The world's smallest full authority helicopter", with rotors just 10cm across, has been successfully flight tested in Norway. Scandinavian microcopter developers hailed the debut of the prototype PD-100 Black Hornet as "a major success". Sceptical readers in possession of the small battery-powered remote-controlled helicopters …
This topic is closed for new posts.
Posted Thursday 24th July 2008 11:52 GMT
Anonymous Coward
Countermeasures #
From the article: "... the Hornet is meant for military use - allowing soldiers a quick and lightweight way to look behind things, inside buildings, through windows and so forth."
So, I expect that terrorists will be trading their AK47's in for 12-bore shotguns.
PULL!
Posted Thursday 24th July 2008 11:52 GMT
Mr ChriZ
Sounds good :-) #
The one we've got isn't very easy to attack people with you hope there's a vague possability that it's pointing in the right direction and then usually end up flying it into a wall.
However... I want a Stealth copter, with silent blades....
Posted Thursday 24th July 2008 11:52 GMT
Sam
Hands up #
...who wants one?
I do.
Posted Thursday 24th July 2008 11:52 GMT
Alex
Wind? I'll tell you about wind.. *PARP!* #
Well, they can't use them out in nominal weather because they are too light. Might be good when the air is still and no rain, but has it been actually tested in normal weather?
Used to fly model helicopters when I was a kid, and you just knew there would be some poor sod who would try out his/her labour of love, for the last 6 months, during a windy session.. only to see it buffet and nose dive into the ground.
Video.. dammit! I want video! Is this not the age of YouTube?
Paris, because she has the right idea about online video..
Posted Thursday 24th July 2008 11:52 GMT
Anonymous Coward
forget "the cloud" ... #
... just wait for "the Google swarm" as they deploy thousands of these to bring back the latest pics for Google yardview.
Posted Thursday 24th July 2008 11:52 GMT
Colin Millar
Truly ashamed of myself #
But it has to be said
It gives geeks a whole new chat up line
Wanna see my pocket-chopper?
Posted Thursday 24th July 2008 11:52 GMT
Barnaby Self
IWOOT #
I cant wait for these to come on sale at IWOOT!! Imagine all the fun you could have with one of these.
Paris because, well, imagine the videos you could record :-p
Posted Thursday 24th July 2008 12:25 GMT
Sam
@alex #
video;
http://www.proxdynamics.com/news/france_3_television_footage/
Posted Thursday 24th July 2008 13:00 GMT
dervheid
watched the vid #
WANT ONE NOW!!
Awesome!
Posted Thursday 24th July 2008 13:00 GMT
Geoff Mackenzie
Wow. #
Just, wow.
Want.
Posted Thursday 24th July 2008 13:00 GMT
Hywel Thomas
Is is available in... #
... black ?
Posted Thursday 24th July 2008 13:48 GMT
Rob Haswell
Want #
I've long-wanted a micro chopper that is fully functional, I'm really excited by this, sounds like an excellent toy! Should make a fine replacement for proper helis in poor weather.
Posted Thursday 24th July 2008 14:27 GMT
DeFex
people who want one. #
if its for the military, it will cost 10 times what its worth.
you will have to wait a couple of weeks for the chinese knock off.
Posted Thursday 24th July 2008 16:00 GMT
Dave
Wants, nay needs #
..Actual size...
Posted Thursday 24th July 2008 19:30 GMT
StopthePropaganda
the stocking stuffer guys make one that does true hover #
look up the Silverlit Atlas. It hovers and has true forward and hover. From the pic here, looks like it uses the same electromagnet system as the Atlas.
They also make the "Tandem Z" which is a dual rotor mini Chinook helicopter with forward, reverse, etc.
The biggest difference, the Silverlit models cost a helluva lot less and doesn't "hint" at future features that would only be delivered should a multimillion dollar grant be received.
Companies like this aren't interested in selling kit, they're interested in getting government money.
Posted Thursday 24th July 2008 19:30 GMT
Anonymous Coward
Why does it look like it folds out of a Zippo? #
although if it does, I'd want one even more. Just for waging war/spying on the neighbours
Posted Friday 25th July 2008 09:04 GMT
Bernie
Paparazzis will love this #
It's perfect for stalkers and paparazzis. Expect exciting pictures of celebrities having sex filmed through the windows on the 30th floor of high rises.
Posted Friday 25th July 2008 09:04 GMT
Ascylto
MP Bovverers #
Imagine these hovering outside MPs and Ministers houses. Well, they've nothing to hide, have they ... otherwise they wouldn't be promoting ID Cards would they?
Posted Friday 25th July 2008 14:24 GMT
Christian Berger
Better solution for video #
Well if you just want to get video from places you can't reach, you could get a line-camera and build it into a boomerang. You could then use one of those video transmitters to get the video out to a reciever. There you add vertical sync pulses and store it onto television tape. If you then digitice that you can cross-correlate the individual pictures to get a moving panorama that stands in place, more or less. Alternatively you can use the front and back porch of your video signal to encode the direction from a compas.
This topic is closed for new posts.