The Rise of the Machines (Drones)

[LandSailor]

Did anyone see the recent episode (4 Sept 2012) of Foreign Correspondent on "The Rise of the Machines".
Can see it here online on ABC Iview:-

http://www.abc.net.au/iview/#/search/fo ... respondent

Its all about how cheap and advanced the technology is now for small robot flying vehicles that can broadcast live video up to 10 kms or more.
If we start seeing these ugly machines buzzing around National Parks its going to get ugly

[Ent]

New form of hi tech skeet shooting might be the answer? Just kidding.

[tastrax]

We have already tried some similar devices (with forestry) for getting still photos of fires. The technology will have to come down in price or be much more robust before its really useable.

Lots of stuff available to the public - https://store.diydrones.com/default.asp

[tastrax]

Lots of stuff on youtube but there is not a lot that covers real time video at 10km from the operator (at a reasonable price)

Here are some samples

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yTqjxDQP_Y

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egYL4-p0 ... ature=plcp - this guy has some great videos - this one he is sitting in the lounge flying his quad copter around and through the house! (whilst controlling it via a feed on his TV screen and a remote controller)

[tastrax]

Check this one out - watch for the guy on the balcony - he is the pilot with goggles on.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsrzBwyl ... ature=plcp

[jackhinde]

i saw the show, and very nearly started a post on here regarding how great it would be to use these things in sussing out passes and the like... i even spent a few minutes checking out prices! they would add a new element to the guess the location game.

[Pteropus]

Recently I saw someone using one of these little drones. A friend of mine races her huskys (like sled dog racing but with kick-bikes/scooters instead of sleds) in a club up here and one member was filming with the drone. The thing looked amazingly stable and easy to fly.

drone.JPG (214.36 KiB) Viewed 8091 times

[phan_TOM]

Check this one out - watch for the guy on the balcony - he is the pilot with goggles on.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsrzBwyl ... ature=plcp

Pretty amazing.
I don't think it was the same show but I did see something recently that showed the army using small remotely operated fixed wing aircraft that could be carried in the soldiers backpack and launched anywhere in the 'field', a huge tactical advantage there. The fixed wing is a more robust & efficient design but those mini-copters are very cool, VTOL and HD video while hovering/flying around!
This is the one that I saw ->http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RQ-11_Raven but a bit pricey though at $35,000 each or $250,000 for the 'whole kit'.

New form of hi tech skeet shooting might be the answer? Just kidding.

Great idea, I just had me a vision of all the shooters now allowed in National Parks running around blasting drones... Yeah, now thats' a way we could make some good money out of all those under-utilised resources!

(Just Joking)

[tastrax]

This looks very similar to the one that has been trialled in Tasmania

http://www.sensefly.com/products/swinglet-cam

[Overlandman]

Some more info on Tassie Drones,
Regards Overlandman

http://www.theadvocate.com.au/story/316 ... -age/?cs=7

[Overlandman]

This Yamaha R MAX was at this years Agfest,
Has a Rotor Diameter over 3.1 metres
There is plenty of info, youtube videos on the net.
Regards Overlandman

http://www.yamaha-motor.co.jp/global/ne ... 6/sky.html

[stepbystep]

Couple of TV cameramen in Hobart have trialled them. No one has biten the bullet thus far. We had one flying around the carpark of the ABC a few months back.

[LandSailor]

Lots of stuff on youtube but there is not a lot that covers real time video at 10km from the operator (at a reasonable price)

Here are some samples

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yTqjxDQP_Y

Hmmm...that looks like alot of fun...just hope they dont become too ubiqitous in the bush.
Otherwise I will have to get my own GPS-jamming attack drone.
And Im sure people will agree, drone dog-fights are not conducive to the general ambience of the bush setting. ; )