Unmanned Aircraft Clustered via Bluetooth

An anonymous reader writes "Researchers at the University of Essex are using Linux and tiny embedded computer modules to build fleets of unmanned aircraft that fly in flocking formations like birds, while performing parallel, distributed computing tasks using Bluetooth-connected Linux clustering software. The Gridswarm project includes model trainers that can fly 120mph, while a parallel Ultraswarm project uses co-axial helicopters. A prototype of the later is believed to the world's smallest flying web server. The aircraft will run Linux on embedded computing modules from Gumstix."

Why not use Mac OS X?

[Anonymous Coward]

Are these researchers DAFT? Why aren't they using the best tool for the job? OS X is faster, more stable and more secure than Linux. It is so much more powerful than Linux in every single way, these guys must be complete knobs.

Cooooooool.

[mrseigen]

I wonder if my municipality will take offense to flying sorties over to my neighbours' yard to steal beer out of his cooler.

There's competition?

[GrouchoMarx]

A prototype of the later is believed to the world's smallest flying web server.

There's competition for that title? Just how many flying web servers are there? (IIS boxes falling out of high office windows after being thrown do not count.)

Uh oh.

[Knnniggit]

Well, there goes the neighborhood...

Oh great, both at once

[Anonymous Coward]

Imagine a beowulf clust... I mean... imagine if you ran linux on... I mean... ARRGH!

MY BRAIN CAN'T COPE!

Re:Cooooooool.

[Anonymous Coward]

Can't wait for the first BT virus for this one. That's when you'll see the real sorties flying through your neighborhood.

Those pesky birds, I'll have to fight fire with

[Anonymous Coward]

fire!
Build Your Own Bluetooth Sniper Rifle [slashdot.org]

They just gave "shutdown" a whole new meaning :)

[Seiruu]

*imagines little MPAA people running around with guns*

Re:There's competition?

[roseblood]

You know, I wonder WHY does one NEED a flying webserver that's small? If you've got to dish out websites from something that flies why not park a high-altitude blimp up at, oh..say, 50,000 feet and beam down the internet from there? Or... why not park a box full of anetna, electronics, bateries, and solar cells into orbit and do the same from there?

If you need a cluster of machines to work in paralell for greater number-crunching power, why not by a big server rack and throw in a bunch of 1U sized machines?

I mean, it's cool for the "wow, check this out" factor....but...real life aplications? Massively Paralell UAVs of DOOM?

I see skynet just got it flying drones

[Anonymous Coward]

I cant wait till they start strapping sidewinders on these things, like to see them HaXoRz try a D.O.S. attack then!!

drone1: incoming slashdot effect!
drone2: take offensive action!
drone3-10: wi-fi targets aquired
??????
boom.

We know they run linux

[Anonymous Coward]

But do they run Windows?

Imagine a Windows 2003 server farm of flying cluster planes.

Re:Oh great, both at once

[lordofthechia]

Can you imagine a beowulf cluster of small craft that track down and eliminate slashdot poster's that reference beowulf clusters?

Add a way for them to deal death by dispensing scalding grits and manufacture them in Soviet Russia and finally justice can be served!

Re:Flcoking Behavior

[DietCoke]

I'm not much for birds, but I am partial to christmas tree flocking.

However, that isn't quite as wild as watching it done with planes, I'm betting.

Bullet with Beowulf Wings

[goneutt]

I'm visualizing a flock of computer controled ultralight orinthopters with wings made of plastic explosive. Commanded, they flock and gather on places where a demolition charge needs to be set. Once a critical number gathers, they organize to make a shaped charge, and BOOM!!!.

Also, visualize a bombsquad guy in all that padding chasing these things with a net.

Did somebody say webserver?

[Anonymous Coward]

FTFS: A prototype of the later is believed to be the world's smallest flying web server.

It would be interesting to follow the effects of slashdotting on that one, quick somebody post a link!

Can you overclock this?

[goneutt]

I see a natural benefit to building flying webservers. When the /. effect kicks in, you accellerate to increase the cooling, and if nessicary, you take the flock out of populated areas to burst into flames.
Probably work better in england, here in my part of Texas the red tailed hawks would probably take 'em down.

Post a link to...

[andy jenkins]

...the world's smallest flying web server

and let's crash the focker.

this story has everything....

[jpardey]

unmanned planes, linux, bluetooth... wait, no breasts. Nevermind.

Bluetooth Season

[Reteo Varala]

So, by using the right virus, and a bluetooth rifle, you can shoot these planes down?

Re:Oh great, both at once

[Anonymous Coward]

This story is turning in to a real cluster flock.

So...

[Anonymous Coward]

So what we have here then... is a Cluster Flock?

Re:There's competition?

[sentientbeing]

A prototype of the later is believed to the world's smallest flying web server.

Support: 'The sites gonna be down for a while, the servers crashed.'

User: 'Dos attack or something?'

Support: 'No. It crashed literally.....into a tree'

Well, against the slashdot effect ..

[RedLaggedTeut]

You know, I wonder WHY does one NEED a flying webserver that's small?

Obviously, when a webserver detects the slashdot effect, it will signal the UWWWWCOM, which will quickly deploy a flock of webservers towards the site to serve webpages.

Then, when the slashdot effect cools off, the flying webservers can be redeployed as necessary, maybe to provide entertainment to soldiers in Iraq.

A very efficient use of resources, isn't it?

Where to begin?

[wowbagger]

Where to begin with the jokes?

But penguins cannot fly!

Great! Now we can re-shoot Hitchcock's "The Birds" with the [RI|MP]AA as the stars!

Now I'll have to wash all those core dumps off my car!

SQUAWCK! We are the Borg. SQUAWCK! Resistance is futile! SQUAWCK! 4 of 99 wants a cracker! SQUAWCK!

A robotic parrot/web server is the perfect gift for a data pirate - when will ThinkGeek carry them?

Do they use RFC 1149 [faqs.org]?

Re:Bluetooth Season

[quarkscat]

Actually, no virus will be needed. Just shoot down the lead "bird", and the rest will fly in formation smack into the ground. Wish that shooting ducks was that easy, although it wouldn't be "sporting".

Re:Flcoking Behavior

[siriuskase]

I wouldn't put anything past a flock of birds. I've seen the movie, much scarier than that shark movie.