Autonomous Model Glider Flies from 60,000 Feet

saccade writes "A couple years ago we read about a telemetry laden balloon launched to 80,000 feet single-handedly built by a laid-off engineer. Here's an even more elaborate one built at around the same time: A balloon launched model glider taken to about 60,000 feet that autonomously finds its way home. It had an auto-pilot and elaborate mission control system. Also impressive is the extensive testing done before launch."

Comments

Re:Dangerous?

[ThisNukes4u]

Parent was modded up funny, but this raises a serious question: what is stopping somebody with bomb-making skills from flying a plane like this loaded with explosives to a high-profile target such as the White House or other government buildings?

That is really hard...

[Slashamatic]

Planes fly rather differently at altitude. I'm impressed that he has been able to do anything up there where other craft start having to use elaborate control systems because of the thin air.

OTOH, he seems to have had some problems with navigation and obstacles (i.e., the mountain in the way), but I can't see how he can deal with that without using something like EGPWS. Standard GPWS (ground proximity warning systems) use radar and the power needs would be far to high. EGPWS extends this with a digital ground model and a GPS. He has the GPS, but whether he could make and store an model with terrain elevation would be an interesting question.

Re:Dangerous?

[Mudcathi]

No, the laid off engineer who was angry at the world and had a latent interest in aerospace technology, now lives in various caves along the Afgani and Pakistani borders.

(and too bad that he still lives, sez i)