The Wasp Micro Air Vehicle

Victor Cheng writes "In developments that bring together a variety of technologies including robotics and digital imaging the Wasp Micro Air Vehicle is one of the Pentagon's latest tools currently in testing of the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group (although I'm thinking its not going to need a carrier to get this one up and flying). The 13 inch Wasp comes equipped with 2 video cameras, GPS and has a myriad of possible applications. Next time you hear something Buzzing around when you're at a family picnic you might think twice before swatting it could be an expensive action."

Comments

Swat it?

[FirienFirien]

Swatting a 13-inch wasp is unlikely. Scream and run away, or possibly even cower and say "I for one welcome our giant robot wasp overlords"...

Don't need a carrier for this?

[Anonymous Coward]

Maybe they've made a special 4 foot long mini-nimitz to go with it? That way you could fit an entire carrier group in your garden pond. How cool would that be?

Re:Don't need a carrier for this?

[TapeCutter]

My goldfish want to know if the mini carrier group can be programmed to attack cats.

Glass Half Full, Really

[Scoria]

You have the wrong perspective. Slashdot stories are more like a fine Merlot than leftover potato chips. They don't produce stories with class like this anymore!

Scales a little off?

[dreamquick]

"next time you hear something Buzzing around when you're at a family picnic"

If its a 13 inch wasp (just over a foot), then quite frankly if something that size starts buzzing around a family picnic I doubt it would be able to hide from you all that well, and secondly I doubt anyone would be stupid enough to attack a foot-long wasp with a rolled up newspaper or magazine.

If horror films have taught us nothing it's that when freakishly large mutant insects attack (TM) you just run and hope you aren't the extra with no name who's destined to die in the first 20 minutes.

*sigh* Journalists these days...

Re:Grammar Nazi Strikes Again!

[archeopterix]

"Next time you hear something Buzzing around when you're at a family picnic you might think twice before swatting it could be an expensive action."

Slashdot editors are above grammar is for nazis only.

Micro Air Vehicle!!!

[richieb]

When I was a kid we used to call these things "model airplanes". :-)

Payload

[fox9397]

Now if you were able to have a payload of say a water balloon or an M80 I could see its use in neighborhood warfare.

Re:Privacy

[Cyn]

The reasons they build UAVs in the first place is because they can't bring agents into the area, because its still too hostile. I hardly think a family picnic is so 'hostile' as to require a UAV.

Clearly you've never been to one of my family picnics!

Oh, the humbling of naval aviation!

[DulcetTone]

The brave efforts of the past will never be repeated!

Then: "Torpedo Eight has been wiped out, sir!"
Now: "Torpedo Eight is stuck in a tree, sir!"

tone

Neat civilian use...

[quarkscat]

Imagine an autonomous beowolf cluster of these.
It would bring an entirely new level to the
quality of trap/skeet shotgun competition.
I, for one, can hardly wait...

WASP

[eclectic4]

" you might think twice before swatting it could be an expensive action."

A 13" White Anglo-Saxon Prodestant with two video cameras and a GPS device? I agree, you're just asking for trouble coming at that with a fly swatter.