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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."

12 of 108 comments (clear)

  1. 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
  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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.
  5. Re:Am I the only one ... by Nadaka · · Score: 3, Funny

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

  6. 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.
  7. HummingDactyl by trollertron3000 · · Score: 2

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

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    Tiger Blooded Bi-Winning Machine
  8. 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
  9. 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

  10. 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
  11. 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...

  12. 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