Slashdot Mirror
HooperFly is an Open Source, Modular Drone (Video)
Tricopters, quadcopters, hexicopters. A HooperFly can be any of these, or an octocopter or possibly even a larger number than that. The HooperFly is a modular creation, and spokesman Rich Burton says the design is open source (and was showing off the HooperFly at OSCON), so the flier's configuration is limited only by your imagination. The main construction material is plastic tubing available from most building supply and hardware stores. The electronics? We didn't see schematics or code, but presumably they're out there. One thing for sure is that the HooperFly is good for making music videos like M.I.A. & The Partysquad's Double Bubble Trouble (NSFP; i.e. NotSafeForPrudes; has images of 3-D printed guns, flying copters, etc.) and the lyrical Peace Drone at Twilight. It looks like HooperFly lives at the intersection of technology and art, which is a good place to be -- not that there aren't plenty of HooperFly skateboard videos, too, because one of the first things it seems most skateboarders do when they get a camera-equipped drone is shoot a skateboard video and post it to YouTube. But beyond that, intrepid drone pilots can work with the HooperFly's autopilot features to do many beautiful (and hopefully legal) things.
"The electronics? We didn't see schematics or code, but presumably they're out there."
An open source project showcased on Slashdot with no links to the code, but instead with links to music videos made with it.. Is this buzzfeed or slashdot
Exactly how is Hooperfly different from Brundlefly?
And what happens when you run both of them through the telepod?
If telephones are outlawed, then only outlaws will have telephones.
So, this is some kind of tool to make drone videos being advertised...by a video...on a techie site where we're pretty much all too busy to sit around and watch videos?
...so the flier's configuration is limited only by your imagination.
WELCOME to ZOMbocom...
Do not look into laser with remaining eye.
1) It's a hexAcopter.
2) How much more open than Hobby King can you get? This isn't news.
They're made out of hula hoops. They are heavy, and they are a bit unstable (need a manual pilot). BUT they are durable. He's been selling them for years--and you all just discovered this now? No different from the Star Wars drone guy (OliverC) or rcsuperheroes.com.
Is /. becoming like TheVerge in advertising maker/kickstarter/poptech news? Mainly to let the BigCOs' have free marketing research info?
It was weirdly dense and obtuse. Why mention prudes? Why mention legality twice?
Is this the kind of non-linear random crap potheads write?
Wait! Can it be 3D printed?
How long is it going to be before someone customizes the design to weaponize it? It doesn't have to carry a gun / missile. The payload can be a biological weapon. Spores of anthrax, anyone? Something that sprays the agent over someones backyard? Maybe the backyard of your political enemies? Or maybe you have a rich uncle, who has you in his will, and you really really could use some money now?
To defend against infrastructure attacks, the government will put more drones in the sky for policing. And then we'll be off to the races. You will have hobbyists / malicious agenst trying to figure out how to make their drones stealthy. And then the government escalating on those. Counter-counter measures being developed. The whole thing will look like something that came out of a Spy vs Spy cartoon from Mad comics.
And lets not forget that the US is winning (or atleast NOT losing) wars right now because of its drone superiority. Wait till the taliban or ISIS get their hands on these designs.....
There is no such thing as luck. Luck is nothing but an absence of bad luck.
As someone that builds and flies drones regularly, the hardware and software here is nothing new. They are just repackaging it and selling it as a "new and improved!" type of drone. In fact, I'd argue that there are already better hardware/software combinations available that have the same features they describe here.
Shut the fuck up imbecile. Anything can be weaponized. That's not an excuse to ban all the things and knowledge. GO back fucking choir boys.
If someone is stupid (or farsighted) enough to purchase this site would they please, as a matter of urgency, get rid of roblimo. Kthxbye.