Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Microflyers on Mars

Posted by michael on from the float-like-a-butterfly dept.

Birds of Fire writes: "This article on Yahoo reports on work in Australia to develop tiny aircraft for Mars exploration. "Aircraft weighing as little as a chocolate bar could one day be darting over the surface of Mars with the agility of dragonflies and the eyes of bees."

2 of 17 comments (clear)

  1. Visible Mars Project by cybrpnk · · Score: 4, Funny

    Aircraft as small as a chocolate bar will one day fly on Mars?

  2. Questions? by 4of12 · · Score: 4, Interesting
    1. Have they got a good lead on solving the power to weight ratio problem?
    2. Getting the total energy /weight ratio high enough so the flyer has reasonable range (think hummingbirds)?
    3. Cost per unit?

    Cost is not so important, since we're willing to spend quite a bit to get these things to Mars, but even so, if the cost could be brought done enough there might be terrestrial applications for little drones loaded up with various sensors.

    --
    "Provided by the management for your protection."