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Drones On Demand
mikejuk (1801200) writes "Gofor is a new company that is promoting the idea of drones on demand. All you have to do is use the app to request a drone and it shows you were they are and how long before one reaches your location. You want to take the ultimate selfie? Scout ahead to see if the road is clear or just find a parking space? No problem just task a drone to do the job. For the photo you simply flash your phone camera at it and it pinpoints your location for an aerial selfie. If it is scouting ahead then it shows you what awaits you via a video link. See the promo video to see how it might work. Flight of fancy? Possibly but the company claims to be operational in five US cities." I wish my car had a drone for instant scouting of traffic-jam alternates.
How long before the FAA stops this?
and if some ones dies will the guy behind this do some hard time?
1. Do I have to specify the name of the person I want to rub out on the application site, or do I just type it into the iPhone app?
2. Does it do a Soundex match if there is any confusion of names, or do I have to get the SSN?
3. Does it work if he is indoors, or does he have to be outdoors?
4. Do special rules apply if the operation crosses state lines? In California? Day or night?
5. Do I get a choice of weapons? For style, I want a flamethrower.
6. Will it send a confirmation text with a picture?
"Drones" have been around since decades, just that they weren't called that before. Those flying radio controlled toys are just the same thing. The main difference is that today cameras are small, light and good enough to be carried by them.
If builders built buildings the way programmers wrote programs, then the first woodpecker would destroy civilization.
I wish my car had a drone for instant scouting of traffic-jam alternates.
You do, it's called the Waze user that is ten minutes ahead of you down the road, mixed with many road sensors reporting traffic flow rates.
If you are using navigation many mapping applications automatically route around traffic issues (including Waze). I personally just have it up while driving, not really using navigation but just to keep an eye on traffic rates and issues. I've turned off many a highway before to avoid a Waze reported issue and taken a pretty obvious alternate route you could see at a glance on the map.
For anyone that has not tried leaving modern mapping applications open with traffic status enabled, I highly recommend it - just get a decent car mount so it's easy to see the display. I recommend Waze in particular only because it's one of the best at taking in user reports as to police or road hazards (like chair in right lane! just one example of something I have reported in the past).
"There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
I have always thought a small car-mounted drone could be incredibly useful. Even if it could not be used above say 10MPH, just something that could pop up a few hundred feet in the air to give you a quick overview would be awesome.
Especially for finding parking.
"There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
Yes, I'd like to order a drone with an m-16 attached. I'll pay cash. I'll need it by 4th and main st, between 7 and 8 am, any weekday is fine.
Sleep your way to a whiter smile...date a dentist!
I distinctly remember that there are laws regulating (banning) remote controlled model planes that fly out of your range of sight. These "drones" are just remote controlled planes over greater distances and with the automatically positioning ones they can fly themselves programmatically but it is still you picking the moves it makes and your computer that does those moves for you. It is similar to a computerized controller helping you fly a model better; which existed arguably since control mechanisms 1st started to do really minor corrections or medium ones like turning around when out of range. I don't see how new laws would be needed for those so called "drones." It's under the toy plane rules until it has no remote controlling computer.
Self contained without the need for communication during the flight makes it another thing probably needing new rules. Not a toy remote control aircraft anymore. Ultralights are the least regulated thing I can think of but they are human piloted and unless that is the definition... couldn't an autonomous "drone" be labeled an ultralight instead of a normal aircraft?
One ruling in 1 case doesn't make a broad answer on this matter. Maybe that 1 case might be OK; but you'd have to be full of shit to think that any FAA laws only applied to directly human controlled aircraft. The intent of those laws should be obvious even if the letter is not. They never imagined these safety regulations up thinking of only 1 kind of plane and not have them apply to helicopters or jets - they are primarily for safety. New rules on these are needed; however, I can't imagine how the FAA can't have authority. (Ultralights which have almost no rules are still under FAA.)
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Let me tell you how this will work, if it's a plausible business plan. First, the early adopters will benefit. Then, as more and more people use it, it will encourage more traffic as the opportunity "cost" (traffic jams & parking) can be partially mitigated. Finally, it'll evolve to the same point as before, or even worse - everyone will be trying to avoid the jams, everyone will be going for the same parking spot, and the next big thing will come along promising to solve both problems.
I solved both issues by bicycling to work. It saves $15 for parking (plus around $2 for gas, wear & tear, depreciation, etc on the car, at a conservative $0.25/mi) or about $4.50 in bus fare.
It also has helped me lose about 30 pounds.
I've known other people who do a combination car/bike ride - drive to the outskirts, then park in a residential neighborhood, grab their bike, and commute through the traffic and navigate parking that way.
Assuming you're fit, and can dress for the weather, it's actually easier to avoid all the problems of driving in dense urban areas.
So yes, just checking in with a smug post. :p
... giving some random 8 or 9 year old kid ... the capacity to tap into and take over these mobile platforms gives me shivers.
Not sure about 8 or 9, but I'm pretty sure I know what I'd be doing with them in my teens (as wrong as I know that is). In short, you're safe.
As someone who builds model aircraft, multirotors (aka 'drones'), and flies these things as a hobby -- man this video infuriates me.
These guys really think the FAA is going to let a business fly a flying projectile through the middle of San Francisco using Chinese-made hobby-grade equipment, with no formal airworthiness standards and no understanding of why we have federal airspace in the first place?
Who's going to be responsible when the thing loses a flight controller and it spins out of control into someone's car/house/child? This video is riddled with technical failings.
The worst part of this is a disturbing trend of: 'Hey, let's just ignore all the real-world problems and make a slick video'. Somewhere along the way, all these kids in San Francisco forgot that you need to put in effort before bragging about something.
We don't need social media affixed to toy helicopters, we need real engineering and hard work.