Slashdot Mirror
Drone Racing Poised To Go Mainstream
New submitter Strepto writes: Using video cameras and special goggles or screens, First Person View has been a thing in the RC world for a while. In the last couple of years though, mini quadcopters have taken things to a whole new level, and the inevitable racing has begun to happen with these incredibly quick and agile little machines.
A recent event in Melbourne, Australia, was covered by various media including the ABC, Gizmag and Mashable. Our little media race (first and last place videos here) went down well, but there are still a number of regulatory barriers to jump in Australia and overseas. It's hard to judge public perception though. I was just wondering what the Slashdot crew thinks about this; does it look dangerous, irresponsible or just plain cool? What do you think the future holds?
A recent event in Melbourne, Australia, was covered by various media including the ABC, Gizmag and Mashable. Our little media race (first and last place videos here) went down well, but there are still a number of regulatory barriers to jump in Australia and overseas. It's hard to judge public perception though. I was just wondering what the Slashdot crew thinks about this; does it look dangerous, irresponsible or just plain cool? What do you think the future holds?
I'm sorry, but since when are those mutually exclusive? ;-)
Lost at C:>. Found at C.
It still amazes me to see folks still operating (let alone being allowed to sell) drones without any shielding around the prop perimeters. Yes, yes; weight and efficiency, but I don't think the bystander damage would be nearly as great when *when* they fall out of the sky.
I agree. Safety should be paramount. That's why I only buy kitchen knives that have their sharp edges hidden behind a shield in case I drop one on somebody's foot. And more importantly, I'm glad that we've finally got a market where we can only purchase 2,000-pound manually-operated motor vehicles that ride on inflated rubber balloons as people operate them over wet or icy pavement ... but which we're no longer allowed to buy unless they are completely surrounded by huge foam cushions, and can't go more than 3mph. You know, to mitigate the damage when *when* somebody operating one happens to collide with another human being.
Oh, right. Untold hundreds of thousands of multirotors being flown by amateurs and professionals alike (most without any prop guards), and no deaths. Compared to, say, hundreds of thousands of preventable medical deaths or traffic deaths.
Some perspective, please.
Don't disappoint your bird dog. Go to the range.