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Autonomous Model Glider Flies from 60,000 Feet

Posted by michael on from the buzz-bomb dept.

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."

15 of 170 comments (clear)

  1. Dangerous? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    I guess I'm just glad that when it "finds its way home" it doesn't define "home" as "the White House Lawn" - and that the laid-off engineer who built it isn't angry with the world.

    1. Re:Dangerous? by ThisNukes4u · · Score: 4, Interesting

      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?

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      thisnukes4u.net
    2. Re:Dangerous? by Beryllium+Sphere(tm) · · Score: 5, Funny

      >Nothing at all, which is why missile defence against 'rouge nations' is a farce.

      Are "rouge nations" something like red states?

    3. Re:Dangerous? by gl4ss · · Score: 4, Insightful

      what is stopping? nothing really.
      what's stopping them from gassing some public place? nothing really.
      what is stopping a not-fit-for-driving driver from driving into a crowd by accident ? nothing really.

      what COULD stop an intelligent man from turning the hell loose if he was determined, except maybe luck? personally i'm surprised how the big nations leaders can stay alive so well(proves that the world isn't as dark as you might think at first, there isn't a whole lot of people who are determined in breaking shit up like that, or that typical terrorists are narrow minded or uneducated.. which pretty much could be true, if you weren't narrow minded you'd find something more enjoyable to do).

      just get over it.

      --
      world was created 5 seconds before this post as it is.
    4. Re:Dangerous? by Mudcathi · · Score: 4, Interesting
      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)

      --

      "He who throws mud, loses ground." - proverb

  2. On the off chance it's slashdotted: by Saint+Aardvark · · Score: 4, Informative
    http://www.saintaardvarkthecarpeted.com/mirror/son de

    All I have to say is "WOW". And well done.

    --
    Carousel is a lie!
  3. Pretty rudimentary by Dancin_Santa · · Score: 4, Insightful

    It can correct its flightpath, but it can't react to obstacles. A cliff would kill it, as would a tree.

    What would happen if we dropped something intrinsically warm like a slab of uranium on Titan

  4. Amateur guidance system? by Saeger · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Quick! Somebody call the Dept of "HomeSec" on this evildoer, before he makes his "homing glider" plans available to terrerhists like that DIY cruise missile guy tried to. And if they find any Estes model rocket engines in his home (while he's away, of course), I they throw the book at him!

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    Power to the Peaceful
  5. For once I read the FA by toby · · Score: 4, Informative
    And noted that the glider was eventually lost in inaccessible terrain, due to drift after launch and various other problems...
    Sept 6, 2003: Glider Lost, 50nm north of the nearest paved road
    Back to the drawing board...
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    you had me at #!
    1. Re:For once I read the FA by mtrisk · · Score: 5, Funny

      Well if it was only 50nm I'll go out and get it myself then...

      --

      Without a proper flamewar, Anonymous was undecided on what shell to run.
  6. That is really hard... by Slashamatic · · Score: 4, Interesting
    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.

  7. Send it to Mars! by FuturePastNow · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Research like this bodes well for future exploration of other planets. A glider, or better yet a powered aircraft, can cover more ground in an hour than Spirit and Opportunity have in a year. With the communications delay, it would have to be autonomous.

    Landing to conduct experiments would be a one-time deal (unless it can take off again), but such a vehicle could do great recon for future rovers or human explorers, in addition to all sorts of atmospheric experiments.

    --
    Give a man fire, and you warm him for the night. Set a man on fire, and you warm him for the rest of his life.
  8. Big deal by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    I built a glider that can find its way home from 60,000 feet in the air too. The only limitation is that "home" has to be directly below it. Apart from that, my glider, which I have named "SpaceBrick One", has a 100% success rate.

  9. nm being nautical miles... by PornMaster · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I know that you were being cute, but figured some people wouldn't pick up on it.

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    500GB of disk, 5TB of transfer, $5.95/mo
  10. Re:Wow by chinakow · · Score: 4, Informative

    they already do, I saw a video where the pilots said the autoland is great in fog, zero visibility but the plane fined the runway, the real problem is taxing to the gate when you can't see out the window.

    Anyway, it took me a while to find someone talking specificly about a 747 but here is a linkhttp://www.airliners.net/discussions/general_a viation/read.main/1882971/

    Forget emergencies, try routine basis to keep certified, if you travel a lot, you probably have already been on an aircraft that has done an autolanding.