Dutch Hackers Create Wi-Fi Sniffing Drone 81
An anonymous reader writes "The WASP, or Wireless Aerial Surveillance Platform, has been built out of a hobby-grade airframe and open source Ardupilot autopilot, reports sUASnews. In the words of the Rabbit-Hole website, it's a 'Small Scale, Open Source UAV using off the shelf components. Designed to provide a vehicle to project cyber-offensive and defensive capabilities, and visual / electronic surveillance over distance cheaply and with little risk.'" Want a drone of your own? The makers have some pointers to helpful resources.
Re:Did it actually fly? Broken wing. (Score:5, Informative)
The makers of the WASP give an interview in the s7e25 episode of Hak5 [hak5.org], where they explain that the platform currently has a very tight flight envelope. It's almost always on the brink of crashing. Quote: "It flies much like a wounded harbor seal would. [...] It's a real juggling act to keep it in the air."
Re:Yes but... (Score:5, Informative)
The meaning of "unmanned" extends to the pilot on the ground. UAVs don't have people on board and can fly more than a straight line in a controlled manner without immediate control input from a pilot on the ground. It's technically illegal to fly UAVs without visual contact in visual flight rules air space.
Re:I want one (Score:3, Informative)
I don't know if you were simply using it's to spite the troll or not but I'm fairly sure its is correct. Unlike most words the apostrophe is only added when it's a contraction of "it is", "it has" etc, not to indicate "belonging to it" (possessive). The GP was a troll to be sure, but an accurate troll nonetheless.