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Hummingbird-Size Wing-Flapping Drone Unveiled

Posted by Soulskill on from the time-to-fill-your-bird-feeder-with-batteries dept.

garymortimer writes "AeroVironment, Inc. has demonstrated a tiny new drone called a 'Nano Hummingbird.' The hand-made prototype aircraft has a wingspan of 16 centimeters (6.5 inches) tip-to-tip and has a total flying weight of 19 grams (2/3 ounce), which is less than the weight of a common AA battery. This includes all the systems required for flight; batteries, motors, communications systems and video camera. The aircraft can be fitted with a removable body fairing, which is shaped to have the appearance of a real hummingbird. The aircraft is larger and heavier than an average hummingbird, but is smaller and lighter than the largest hummingbird currently found in nature."

108 comments

  1. Control by LBArrettAnderson · · Score: 1

    It's amazing how much control they appear to have over the thing. I feel lucky when I can get my RC helicopter to go anywhere near the general direction that I want. And especially outdoors! The very slight breeze outside makes toy helicopter impossible to fly, but it seems like they have complete control.

    1. Re:Control by Americium · · Score: 0

      Helicopter are inherently unstable because the gyro (the blades) are on top, so they are very hard to fly. If you put the blades at the bottom, like they did with this, the stability is utterly amazing.

    2. Re:Control by sentientbeing · · Score: 1

      Awesome. Until you slip and fall into the blades.

      Yum. Meat rain.

      --

      ------
      beware he who would deny you access to information, for in his mind he dreams himself your master
    3. Re:Control by Americium · · Score: 1

      Anytime you slip out of a helicopter, I think it's bad. But I do agree, I would enjoy falling 1000ft or so much more than being cut up by a blade, and then falling.

    4. Re:Control by 517714 · · Score: 1

      I'll bet that the commercial or promotional video you saw for your helicopter made it look like it was fully controllable too!

      --
      The US government have made it clear that we have no inalienable rights; any we do not defend vigorously will be taken.
    5. Re:Control by hitmark · · Score: 1

      could be a gyro involved, that keep it stationary unless other input is given.

      --
      comment first, facts later. http://chem.tufts.edu/AnswersInScience/RelativityofWrong.htm
    6. Re:Control by __aamnbm3774 · · Score: 1

      I not sure if I believe your post.
      Sure that video looks neat, but that machine also has a significant weight advantage over an RC helicopter. I don't see why flipping it over (other than getting utterly blasted with air, and messing with a nice consistent airflow pattern) would be any different. And you could account for the things I mentioned, it just requires more engineering.

    7. Re:Control by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I don't think that's why they are unstable. In fact I'm absolutely positive that putting the blades on bottom would make most helicopters much less controllable. Try holding a broom stick from the top. Now try holding it from the bottom. Which way was easier?

    8. Re:Control by Americium · · Score: 1

      Not much, the RC toy chopper for $10 more has a gryo and autostability control and are supposedly amazingly stable and easy to fly....or so I have heard, as I also have not ventured outside to the mall to see them in action.

    9. Re:Control by Byrel · · Score: 1

      Helicopter are inherently unstable because the gyro (the blades) are on top, so they are very hard to fly. If you put the blades at the bottom, like they did with this, the stability is utterly amazing.

      This is not why helicopters are unstable. A helicopter is unstable because the slightest motion forward generates a greater airspeed on one side of the rotor than the other side. This in turn generates more lift on one side, causing the chopper to bank (and in the hands of an inexperienced pilot, crash). This uneven lift is also caused by any relative motion to the wind. Indeed, a wind of less than 10 mph is enough to flip an unstabilized chopper.

      This uneven lift must be actively compensated by rotating each blade as it goes around. Increasing the angle of attack will increase the lift on that blade (until the blades stall; a condition also worsened by winds, and motion.

      It actually doesn't matter whether the blades are on the bottom or top; the force causing the instability is not gravitational, but aerodynamic. In fact though, flipping a chopper upside down, while possible even in a normal chopper, adds another dimension of instability. (The "balancing a broomstick" instability.)

      As a final note, nearly any unstable system can be rendered stable by applying a proper feedback control system. If you express the response of the unstable system in terms of complex frequency, the instability is represented by poles with a real component > 0. A feedback system can be designed to cancel those poles, and render the system stable.

    10. Re:Control by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I'm wondering if it has much more flying time than 10 minutes or so, and that's on the good-end of my experience with micro-R/C helicopters. Once you get it adjusted to be flying half decent, half your battery time is already gone.

      Also it seems cute doesn't it? Doesn't seem like it would work well for spying outside of the Americas where hummingbirds aren't native. Also I'd love to see it fly in the presence of a real hummingbird. Those little buggers despite their appearance and diminutive size are fiercely territorial. It would be fun to see one react to another "bird" that seems to behave retardedly within their airspace and watch as they tear that shit up.

    11. Re:Control by icebike · · Score: 1

      Helicopter are inherently unstable because the gyro (the blades) are on top, so they are very hard to fly. If you put the blades at the bottom, like they did with this, the stability is utterly amazing.

      Why should the position of the blades matter as far as stability? Given the same whirling mass you have the same gyro effect.

      A payload hanging below the rotors is easier to balance than payload perched on top of the rotors.

      For top mounted payloads , in addition to tilt needed for forward motion, the side vectored thrust needed to fight airframe rotation, you now have to add balancing forces.

      You may thing this device was utterly amazing, but the truth of the matter is it was an technological dead end, which while possible to achieve, offered no compelling advantage over the helicopter. There is a reason you don't see these things flying around. They were very problematic, and contrary to your assertion, they were not stable, but required constant correction to keep them upright.

      --
      Sig Battery depleted. Reverting to safe mode.
    12. Re:Control by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      biomimicry?

  2. Can someone make sense? by sabrex15 · · Score: 0

    "The aircraft is larger and heavier than an average hummingbird, but is smaller and lighter than the largest hummingbird currently found in nature." --- I don't really get that sentence, can someone explain?

    1. Re:Can someone make sense? by LBArrettAnderson · · Score: 1

      It's chunky, but not obese.

    2. Re:Can someone make sense? by Nidi62 · · Score: 3, Informative

      The largest hummingbird species are bigger and heavier than the drone, but the average of all the hummingbird species is smaller and lighter than the drone. So, while it's bigger than what a hummingbird is likely to be, it is not so big that it couldn't possibly be disguised as a hummingbird.

      --
      The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for it to be pitted against a slightly greater evil
    3. Re:Can someone make sense? by Kufat · · Score: 1, Funny

      Car metaphors are so last week, so here's a fast food metaphor:
      It's bigger than a medium but smaller than a large.

    4. Re:Can someone make sense? by sabrex15 · · Score: 1

      Thanks for clearing that up for me.

    5. Re:Can someone make sense? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Scientists are hard at work on genetically engineering an even larger humming bird to eat the smaller formerly largest humming birds.

    6. Re:Can someone make sense? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      What's a number that's more than 5 but less than 7?

      It's ok, take your time..

    7. Re:Can someone make sense? by MobileTatsu-NJG · · Score: 1

      "The aircraft is larger and heavier than an average hummingbird, but is smaller and lighter than the largest hummingbird currently found in nature." --- I don't really get that sentence, can someone explain?

      If the average hummingbird is 1 unit in weight, and the world record heaviest hummingbird is 2 units in weight, the mechanical one weighs 1.5 units.

      --

      "I like to lick butts!" by MobileTatsu-NJG (#32700246) (Score:5, Informative)

    8. Re:Can someone make sense? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The size of the device is between the average size and the largest known hummingbird.

    9. Re:Can someone make sense? by h4rr4r · · Score: 1

      The aircraft is bigger and has more mass than the mean(average) hummingbird. The aircraft is not quite as large as the largest hummingbird, nor does it mass more than the heaviest hummingbird.

    10. Re:Can someone make sense? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It means the average hummingbird is smaller than the craft, but a larger one is known to exist.

    11. Re:Can someone make sense? by orangesquid · · Score: 1

      There are multiple species of hummingbird. A few of them are common in north america, but there are less-common species, as well. Hummingbirds are rather remarkable, being the most maneuverable group of birds (ever seen a bird fly backwards?)

      --
      --TheOrangeSquid Is it any wonder things seem so awry? We swim in a sea of confusion and don't have to think to survive
    12. Re:Can someone make sense? by umrguy76 · · Score: 1

      Hummingbirds range in size from very small to not so small. While this aircraft is larger than the average size hummingbird found in nature, there are real hummingbirds that are larger.

      . ---> o ---> O
      hb aircft big hb

    13. Re:Can someone make sense? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The aircraft is like a Ford Explorer. Larger than an average car, but smaller than an Escalade.

    14. Re:Can someone make sense? by kryliss · · Score: 2

      The number hummingbird?

      --
      --- If the bible proves the existence of God, then Superman comics prove the existence of Superman.
    15. Re:Can someone make sense? by locallyunscene · · Score: 1

      It means it's larger than the European Hummingbird but smaller than the African Hummingbird...

    16. Re:Can someone make sense? by Chris+Burke · · Score: 2

      So, while it's bigger than what a hummingbird is likely to be, it is not so big that it couldn't possibly be disguised as a hummingbird.

      And in particular, there are quite a few hummingbird species of about that size, and the largest species, the appropriately named Giant Hummingbird is significantly bigger. So "smaller than the largest hummingbird" isn't some kind of cop-out phrase where there's one such example in the Andes mountains but everywhere else it's too big to be a hummer.

      But in some places it certainly would be too big. For example in the Eastern United States, the only hummingbird is the small Ruby Throated, and seeing something about twice its size flitting and hovering around would probably just draw more attention to it. So how well it blends in will depend in part on where it is deployed. Oh, and whether or not there are any bird-watchers around to say "gee that thing is bigger than I expected, let me take a closer look with binoculars". Somehow I doubt they're expecting their subterfuge to work in that kind of circumstance.

      In any case, this drone is pretty freaking sweet.

      --

      The enemies of Democracy are
    17. Re:Can someone make sense? by mangamuscle · · Score: 1

      Bleem x 2

    18. Re:Can someone make sense? by blair1q · · Score: 1

      Regardless, if I see a hummingbird this big, I'm getting a net. They just aren't common around my secret lair.

    19. Re:Can someone make sense? by Em+Adespoton · · Score: 1

      Ever seen hummingbirds fight? They're likely engineering a larger hummingbird that can out-joust the smaller formerly largest hummingbirds.

      I've seen too many dead hummingbirds with beak-sized holes through their throats to think otherwise.

    20. Re:Can someone make sense? by aethogamous · · Score: 1

      "The aircraft is larger and heavier than an average hummingbird, but is smaller and lighter than the largest hummingbird currently found in nature." --- I don't really get that sentence, can someone explain?

      Sure, it means that he aircraft is larger and heavier than an average hummingbird, but is smaller and lighter than the largest hummingbird currently found in nature.

    21. Re:Can someone make sense? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      There's also the rather loud obviously mechanical engine/wing noise that might give it away.

  3. Am I the only one ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ...starting to get just a little creeped-out by these kinds of developments?

    What next - video fruit-flies that can shoot tiny rockets?

    1. Re:Am I the only one ... by gknoy · · Score: 1

      What next - video fruit-flies that can shoot tiny rockets?

      Video fruit-flies that upload to a large and persistent database of surveillance footage, indexed by your identity, location, and time.

    2. Re:Am I the only one ... by Nadaka · · Score: 3, Funny

      You will really get creeped out when they unveil the robotic tape worms.

    3. Re:Am I the only one ... by peragrin · · Score: 3, Interesting

      not really it will probably be the only way to cure obseity in america.

      The robot tape worm destroys the food while it is in your system allowing you to eat and drink more with less effects

      --
      i thought once I was found, but it was only a dream.
    4. Re:Am I the only one ... by mangamuscle · · Score: 1

      A genetically engineered fruit fly designed to injects prions into a selected target (assassination a-la carte).

    5. Re:Am I the only one ... by mantissa128 · · Score: 1

      That is both horrifyingly plausible, and obscene.

      Could the thing perhaps package up the food and deliver it to starving people?

  4. Stocking stuffers? by ebunga · · Score: 1

    Will these be available for Christmas this year, or next year?

  5. I want one by a-zarkon! · · Score: 3, Interesting
    But I have to wonder what the endurance is for this thing. TFA describes the requirements as:

    1. Demonstrate precision hover flight within a virtual two-meter diameter sphere for one minute.
    2. Demonstrate hover stability in a wind gust flight which required the aircraft to hover and tolerate a two-meter per second (five miles per hour) wind gust from the side, without drifting downwind more than one meter.
    3. Demonstrate a continuous hover endurance of eight minutes with no external power source.
    4. Fly and demonstrate controlled, transition flight from hover to 11 miles per hour fast forward flight and back to hover flight.
    5. Demonstrate flying from outdoors to indoors, and back outdoors through a normal-size doorway.
    6. Demonstrate flying indoors âheads-downâ(TM) where the pilot operates the aircraft only looking at the live video image stream from the aircraft, without looking at or hearing the aircraft directly.
    7. Fly the aircraft in hover and fast forward flight with bird-shaped body and bird-shaped wings.

    Based on the current crop of micro RC helicopters, I'd be surprised if this gizmo has enough battery life for more than 10-15 minutes of flight. Any real-world James Bond types out there care to chime in as to whether this is going to be sufficient to support a real-world mission?

    Sounds like it would be a lot of fun for messing with coworkers in the cube farm though.

    1. Re:I want one by msauve · · Score: 1

      Bonus points if it runs on sugar water.

      --
      "National Security is the chief cause of national insecurity." - Celine's First Law
    2. Re:I want one by h4rr4r · · Score: 1

      Current $15 rc helis have 10 minutes flight time. I am going to bet this unit has more since it does not need to cost less than $15 to build.

    3. Re:I want one by Jesse_vd · · Score: 1

      sounds like the requirements don't need 10-15 minutes

      3. Demonstrate a continuous hover endurance of eight minutes with no external power source.

    4. Re:I want one by Motard · · Score: 1

      These things could be a godsend for troops that have to clear buildings as they had to in, say, Fallujah. Being able to survey the situation before going through the door could save a lot of lives (well, on the American side at least).

    5. Re:I want one by strength_of_10_men · · Score: 1

      What I'm a little confused about is that the CIA claims to have made fully flyable dragonfly-sized drones in 1970. I can't find it but wasn't here a slashdot story about this a while back?

      Anyway, a link to the CIA 'bots is here, but I'm skeptical of the validity of this bot, even with the provided video: http://hackaday.com/2011/02/10/the-cias-amazing-bots/

    6. Re:I want one by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      They told AvWeb that it can fly 11mph for eight minutes. Given that the original version had a 20 second battery life, this is very impressive.

    7. Re:I want one by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      10: Fly for 10 minutes.
      20. Land, use as a stationary camera.
      30. Recharge battery with photovoltaic body/wings while landed, maybe with camera/transmitter off.
      40. Repeat (goto 10)

    8. Re:I want one by ctrimm · · Score: 1

      Based on the current crop of micro RC helicopters, I'd be surprised if this gizmo has enough battery life for more than 10-15 minutes of flight.

      According to a Wired article, the flight time has, indeed, only reached about 10 minutes.

  6. think of the potential by JumpDrive · · Score: 2

    These could be used to follow around truant kids and determine whether they are going to school or not.

    1. Re:think of the potential by kehren77 · · Score: 1

      Come on. Like all new technology, the industry that will commercialize this first will be the porn industry.

    2. Re:think of the potential by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Or maybe you'll see adverts for the new X-11 Hummingbird Camera!

    3. Re:think of the potential by 517714 · · Score: 1

      That does not adequately explain the aircraft industry, there is no membership fee for the mile high club.

      --
      The US government have made it clear that we have no inalienable rights; any we do not defend vigorously will be taken.
    4. Re:think of the potential by kehren77 · · Score: 1

      Or maybe you'll see adverts for the new X-11 Hummingbird Camera!

      X11... porn industry... same thing

    5. Re:think of the potential by kehren77 · · Score: 1

      That does not adequately explain the aircraft industry, there is no membership fee for the mile high club.

      So then you are sneaking onto these flights? How are you making it past security without a ticket?

    6. Re:think of the potential by 517714 · · Score: 1

      Since 9/11 Security amounts to foreplay.

      --
      The US government have made it clear that we have no inalienable rights; any we do not defend vigorously will be taken.
    7. Re:think of the potential by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      These could be used to follow around truant kids and determine whether they are going to school or not.

      There's a much easier way to do that.

    8. Re:think of the potential by badkarmadayaccount · · Score: 1

      Isn't the X11 protocol a little heavy weight for this?

      --
      I know tobacco is bad for you, so I smoke weed with crack.
  7. That's nice but by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    can it carry a coconut?

    1. Re:That's nice but by pjt33 · · Score: 1

      African or European coconut?

  8. European hummingbird or an African hummingbird by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I don't know...

    dmanny

  9. Nano by Conrthomas · · Score: 1

    I thought nano meant, like, really small i.e. nanometers....this thing sounds pretty large, for calling it nano...

    1. Re:Nano by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Welcome to 2001, when nano and nano-tech words became co-opted by marketers. No-one seems to give a shit about definitions anyway, e.g. picosatellites, microchips. Might as well call processors nanochips because the process size is measured in nanometres.

    2. Re:Nano by M8e · · Score: 1

      It's definitely smaller than a femtoparsec.

  10. Arm it by SnarfQuest · · Score: 1

    They should make one with weapons capability, like something you'd expect to see in a James Bond film. they could use some kind of laser, but I don't think it would have enough power to life the necessary shark. Maybe they could strap a Colt 45 to it (no not the drink, the gun). That would be cool (BLAM!! followed by a spray of hummingbird shaped parts).

    --
    Who would win this election: Andrew Weiner vs Andrew Weiner's weiner.
    1. Re:Arm it by Em+Adespoton · · Score: 1

      The answer is obvious: make the beak a hypodermic needle. Biological warfare, here we come....

  11. One step closer by Dyinobal · · Score: 1

    One step closer to developing actual man hacks, from half life two. All that has to happen now is for the military to get a hold of this tech.

  12. Illogical Mr. Spock.. Does not compute... by houbou · · Score: 0

    "The aircraft is larger and heavier than an average hummingbird, but is smaller and lighter than the largest hummingbird currently found in nature."

    I'm confused.
    I thought I knew English.
    Can anyone help me?
    Is this an experiment on how to create a brain aneurysm using an illogical statement?
    "I sense a Star Trek moment here ladies and germs...".

    1. Re:Illogical Mr. Spock.. Does not compute... by denzacar · · Score: 1

      Let's say that hummingbirds come in sizes (or weights) 1 to 5.
      Average sized hummingbird would then be the sum of those sizes, divided by the number of sizes available. I.e. (1+2+3+4+5)/5 = 3
      So the "average hummingbird size" would be 3, while the largest hummingbird size would be 5.

      So, if this artificial hummingbird is "larger and heavier than an average hummingbird, but is smaller and lighter than the largest hummingbird currently found in nature" - that means that it's size is somewhere between 3 and 5.

      --
      Mit der Dummheit kämpfen Götter selbst vergebens
    2. Re:Illogical Mr. Spock.. Does not compute... by screwzloos · · Score: 1

      Different species of hummingbirds come in different sizes. An "average" hummingbird is smaller than this drone, but at least one species of hummingbirds is capable of growing larger than the drone.

      Seems pretty logical to me.

    3. Re:Illogical Mr. Spock.. Does not compute... by Chris+Burke · · Score: 3, Insightful

      I'm honestly shocked that "more than average, less than maximum" is confusing so many people. Okay, maybe the sentence is difficult to parse (I didn't find it so, but whatever), but it is not illogical in the least.

      --

      The enemies of Democracy are
    4. Re:Illogical Mr. Spock.. Does not compute... by blair1q · · Score: 1

      Nope. That sentence was perfectly constructed.

    5. Re:Illogical Mr. Spock.. Does not compute... by IICV · · Score: 1

      The grandparent post is, however, a perfect example of Star Trek "logic" which most of the time is, in fact, illogical.

      I mean, come on. Half the time they interpret "logical" as meaning "only do things that have a 100% chance of success, do nothing otherwise" (if there's a 50% chance we'll blow up after reticulating the deflector array, that's still the logical course of action if the only other option is a 100% chance of explosion from not dispersing the negative space wedgie!), and the other half of the time it means "emotions don't exist, despite the measurable effect of crew morale on ship efficiency".

      God, that always pissed me off so much.

    6. Re:Illogical Mr. Spock.. Does not compute... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "Dammit, Jim, I'm only a doctor, but this Houbou may have a serious
      brain disorder !" - Leonard McCoy

    7. Re:Illogical Mr. Spock.. Does not compute... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I think people are just quickly skimming it and didn't notice that different adjectives were used.

    8. Re:Illogical Mr. Spock.. Does not compute... by DrVomact · · Score: 1

      I'm honestly shocked that "more than average, less than maximum" is confusing so many people. Okay, maybe the sentence is difficult to parse (I didn't find it so, but whatever), but it is not illogical in the least.

      "Not illogical", eh? The writer was trying to give us a sense of the scale of this device. Usually, this is done by referring to something simple and direct—like maybe the traditional "smaller than a breadbox, bigger than a pack of cigarettes". But our author strikes directly for familiar ground—the average and extreme weights of hummingbirds. Right, I know all about that. On the one hand, you have those really small, pip-squeak hummingbirds that you can mistake for wasps. On the other, we have Ricky The Ridiculously Obese, a Hogwart's courier who weighs in at 18.3756 ounces (unloaded), and delivers his messages for a very small charge, as he is completely flightless. OK, now how big is the flying machine? Um...who knows? Smaller than Ricky I guess. Bigger than a bug.

      --
      Great men are almost always bad men--Lord Acton's Corollary
    9. Re:Illogical Mr. Spock.. Does not compute... by Chris+Burke · · Score: 1

      I believe, good sir, that if you were to examine the bong in your hand you would observe the following warning label: "Caution: Usage of the wacky tobbacky may alter one's sense of what is or isn't logical."

      And if there isn't one, it was clearly an omission on the part of the Surgeon General and you should add it yourself. :)

      But in not entirely all seriousness, there isn't exactly a tremendous range of hummingbird sizes, and anyone with any humming bird experience should have at least a ball-park idea of how big this machine is, which is being compared to a hummingbird because that's what it's supposed to be. Oh and Ricky isn't obese, he weights 18.3756 grams and is a Giant Hummingbird and quite a capable flyer, thank you very much.

      --

      The enemies of Democracy are
  13. HummingDactyl by trollertron3000 · · Score: 2

    Jesus Christ look at that HUGE hummingbird! Why does it have a muffler? ... DUCK!

    --
    Tiger Blooded Bi-Winning Machine
    1. Re:HummingDactyl by 517714 · · Score: 1

      Why does it have a muffler? ... DUCK!

      To keep its neck warm!

      --
      The US government have made it clear that we have no inalienable rights; any we do not defend vigorously will be taken.
    2. Re:HummingDactyl by Em+Adespoton · · Score: 1

      Jesus Christ look at that HUGE hummingbird! Why does it have a muffler? ... DUCK!

      No, it's definitely a hummingbird.

      badum-ching!

    3. Re:HummingDactyl by michelcolman · · Score: 1

      Why would you call for a duck to protect you from a hummingbird? Or is that duck a larger version of the same device, with floating capability?

  14. Two questions.... by HalfOfOne · · Score: 1

    Could two of them carry a coconut?

    And the size comparisons, were those for African or European hummingbirds?

  15. Flight video of test criteria by SnoopJeDi · · Score: 5, Informative

    Here's a youtube video of the drone meeting several of these criteria. http://youtu.be/a8ZbtZqH6Io

    1. Re:Flight video of test criteria by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I thought that youtu.be redirect to youtube.com was some kind of click-tracking scam at first. But whois says google run the dns servers for it so it's likely run by them[1]. Seems a bit absurd to save very few characters and probably makes the world a bit unsafer by using country code TLDs under false premises.

      [1] confirmed: http://www.geek.com/articles/consumer/google-unveils-youtu-be-shortener-that-cuts-down-video-links-by-15-characters-20091222/

    2. Re:Flight video of test criteria by shadowbearer · · Score: 1

      Excellent citation, thanks.

        Just judging from watching the video in hi-res, it's more like a helicopter with individually variable prop angles than a hummingbird - it looks like it's limited to "body straight up" flight.

        Still pretty astounding work for a prototype - but I'd be willing to bet a few dollars that something similar to this but with much more maneuverability - yaw and pitch - is on sale in department stores in maybe 5-7 years :-)

        If anyone has any more decent info on this, I would love to see it.

      SB

      --
      It's old. The more humans I meet, the more I like my cats. At least they are honest.
    3. Re:Flight video of test criteria by SnoopJeDi · · Score: 1

      The device actually already has yaw, as the video above shows (you can spin the craft around). As for pitch, I can't find a video, but I'm under the impression that it does have pitch control, being able to do loop-de-loops.

    4. Re:Flight video of test criteria by SnoopJeDi · · Score: 1

      Err, link should be this.

    5. Re:Flight video of test criteria by shadowbearer · · Score: 1

        A helicopter can technically loop the loop, too, but that's not the same thing as full sustained pitch control like hummingbirds can do (they can fly head-down)

        Still pretty neat kit tho.

      SB

      --
      It's old. The more humans I meet, the more I like my cats. At least they are honest.
  16. Size right, but behavior? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    While it might pass for a hummingbird size-wise, just looking at it fly you can tell it isn't natural. I've never seen a hummingbird fly body-upright, except when hovering.

    1. Re:Size right, but behavior? by Chris+Burke · · Score: 1

      You're right, it does look wrong when it's flying forward quickly. It's appearance when flying slowly, or up, or backwards, etc, which are essentially variations on hovering, aren't that bad, but certainly if you watched it for any length of time it's unnatural nature would be apparent.

      --

      The enemies of Democracy are
  17. In other news... by kaychoro · · Score: 1

    ... Iran has recently placed orders for thousands of high speed oscillating fans to, "keep their government buildings free hummingbird infestations".

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    //TODO: create a signature
  18. They're too quick for that by bnbgnoise · · Score: 1

    No real world James Bond would need it for more than 15 minuets, nor want to be engaged in operating an expensive remote machine manually for any extended period of time. Real world james bond's have a way of being where they need to be only long enough to get what they need and get out. The plain light as well be equipt with a physical object acquisition hand as well, sense the trouble of navigating it back to you should be most worth while. Having it Auto fly back to it's handset or have options of loiter or disperse would really truly make it most usefull. Auto emergency land when it's out of battery... and ultimately any code or weightlessness avaliable to leverage the advanced mechanical nature of the device. Including helium and mylar. if the added drag wouldn't reduce the benefit. AND auto power collection. Via ambient quanta solar. Hide functionality... basically if it were like a mechanical bat that would be perfect. I've always dreamed of such a machine. Package has been intercepted. This Vialectronic Homing Pigeon will self destruct, speak password... self destructing... speak password... three... two... two and a half....

    1. Re:They're too quick for that by DrVomact · · Score: 1

      No real world James Bond would need it for more than 15 minuets...

      As an old (really old) James Bond fan, I must protest your mischaracterization. James Bond wouldn't even need a Tango, much less a bunch of minuets—he gets the girl without having to even dance with her first!

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      Great men are almost always bad men--Lord Acton's Corollary
  19. +1 Funny & Insightful by weston · · Score: 1

    Wish I had the mod points for it.

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    Tweet, tweet.
  20. Cool! by IonOtter · · Score: 1

    That looks like an awesome skeet target. And I'm sure anyone being observed by one in a warzone will agree.

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    [End Of Line]
  21. Re:I want one too by DCFusor · · Score: 1
    Think of the following. Some guys in a battle are hunkered down and shooting at you, say through a hole in a wall. This thing flies over there and shows you where they are -- or whether they are displacing to another place -- so you know where and whether to shoot. Don't even need one minute for that. If they're running away, you now know which way if you want to chase them -- they've gotten out of cover. And so on.

    This can be a pretty life saving thing for the good guys, and devastating to the other side -- who's going to shoot at a bird? Sure, they'll figure it out, but that's not an easy target, and shooting also tells you where the bad guy is pretty close.

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    Why guess when you can know? Measure!
  22. Yummy by thewils · · Score: 1

    Methinks it's time to dust off the crowbar again :)

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    Once I was a four stone apology. Now I am two separate gorillas.
  23. Good for Green by bnbgnoise · · Score: 2

    "The aircraft is larger and heavier than an average hummingbird, but is smaller and lighter than the largest hummingbird currently found in nature." [I think] This qualifies it as USDA organic...

  24. Quiddich!? by redwhine · · Score: 2

    "has a wingspan of 16 centimeters (6.5 inches) tip-to-tip and has a total flying weight of 19 grams (2/3 ounce)," Color me bad, but I think that Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry may be able to claim prior art: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quidditch#Golden_Snitch

  25. That's a lot better than a real hummingbird by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Real hummingbirds have to drink nectar like every 5-7 minutes, or they have a helluva sugar crash.

  26. quiddich by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Or cross between Harry Potter and James Bond.

  27. obligatory by Smekarn · · Score: 0

    MANHACKS!!!!

  28. Re:where YOUR money is going by dominious · · Score: 0

    you are so good at criticising while you have no idea what good will come out from this project, nor what has been learnt from the research behind it.