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Toys Hardware

A.I. Helicopter? 173

Posted by michael from the autorotate dept.
CowboyRobot writes "Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization just launched the Mantis, a 'low-cost, intelligent small helicopter'. SMH reports that 'Within a decade armies of tiny helicopter drones will monitor traffic, inspect buildings for maintenance problems, map bushfires, look for faults in powerlines, and join search-and-rescue missions.' This is much larger than the Seiko flying robot reported last month, but the Mantis should be truly autonomous."
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A.I. Helicopter? More

A.I. Helicopter?

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  • If I were the AI I'd say no (Score:5, Funny)

    by corebreech ( 469871 ) on Thursday December 18, 2003 @11:32AM (#7754897) Journal
    Like the digital soldiers used to create the epic battle scene in RotK [canada.com] who decided to flee instead of fight.

    I mean, you know nobody gives a shit whether you crash or not. If they did, they'd send a human up there.

    If no wasn't an acceptible answer, then once aloft, I'd follow the pigeons. They seem to have it all worked out. Hang out on the rooftops where everybody is afraid to go. Nobody messes with you up there.

    • In other news... (Score:5, Funny)

      by percepto ( 652270 ) on Thursday December 18, 2003 @11:56AM (#7755186)
      The Australian government today lost several of their surveillance helicopters after their new Mantis prototype mated with them and then bit their heads off.

    • Re:If I were the AI I'd say no (Score:2, Funny)

      by Anonymous Coward
      So it required some "tinkering" to make an AI stupid enough NOT to flee in horror from mass battle ?

      Heh!
      Takes a while to dumb down a soldier enough to stick around as well.

    • true the AI in LOTR let some orcs run away...but that's actually true to being orcs! Also, that was quite an achivement to roll D20s for every swing in the battle...that GM settup must have been killer. Not to mention taken a long time to roll all those dice and enter them into the computer!

  • Uh oh! (Score:4, Funny)

    by GnrlFajita ( 732246 ) <brad.thewillards@us> on Thursday December 18, 2003 @11:33AM (#7754901) Homepage
    Wait a minute. We just found out that we've already started scorching the sky [slashdot.org], and now they make an intelligent helicopter that can see? I'm getting a little nervous here.

    If they start making these things in black, I'm going to add another layer to my tinfoil hat!

  • Skynet! (Score:1, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward
    I for one welcome our new AI helicopter overlords.

  • "A... I..." (Score:1, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward
    "So, um, what the 'A' stand for?"
    "Artificial..."
    "Ah... ... ...So what the 'I' --"
    "INTELLIGENCE!"

    (I nominate that they name it, the 'Puma.')
    • So it doesn't stand for *deep breath* Australia's-commonwealth-scientific-and Industrial-research-organization? o_O

    • Re:"A... I..." (Score:1, Funny)

      by Anonymous Coward
      I wonder if it will have the ability to lift around 100-150lbs ("pick up chicks")

  • Finding faulty powerlines (Score:5, Insightful)

    by ObviousGuy ( 578567 ) <ObviousGuy@hotmail.com> on Thursday December 18, 2003 @11:34AM (#7754925) Homepage Journal
    Searching for missing hikers
    Surveying wildfires
    Surveying the houses of known government enemies
    Surveying the homes of suspected government enemies
    Surveying your home
    • Which begs the question, how high off the ground does one's property extend if they own the land? 10cm? 1m? 100m? 1km? Sounds like a fun target practice with those guns the U.S. Constitution allows me to own.

      Crap, I wonder if using metrics implicitly renounces my rights covered by the Law of the Land.

      • Re:Finding faulty powerlines (Score:5, Funny)

        by YetAnotherAnonymousC ( 594097 ) on Thursday December 18, 2003 @11:46AM (#7755077)
        As high as the pattern from my 12-gauge holds together. =)

      • Re:Finding faulty powerlines (Score:5, Interesting)

        by Tassach ( 137772 ) on Thursday December 18, 2003 @12:11PM (#7755319)
        how high off the ground does one's property extend if they own the land?
        The rights you have to your land are determined by the deed to the property. Generally speaking, unless the deed specifically excludes them, you have the right to everything under your property (minerals, groundwater, etc), extending down to the core of the Earth; and everything over it, extending to the edge of the atmosphere. However, international law/treaty recognizes the right of innocent passage and overflight, so unless it was loitering over your property for an extended period of time I doubt there's much you could legally do about it.
      • To answer the question: In the U.S., per FAA regulations, landowners have control up to 500 feet. Above that is public domain airspace. It has been this way since very early on in aviation, since it is critical to have public airspace and federal jurisdiction thereof in order to have a viable air transportation system.
        • To answer the question: In the U.S., per FAA regulations, landowners have control up to 500 feet. Above that is public domain airspace. It has been this way since very early on in aviation, since it is critical to have public airspace and federal jurisdiction thereof in order to have a viable air transportation system.

          Huh? is that 500ft above your building? Say your building is 800ft tall...

          Not that this matters much, in most states you can pretty much assume that anything you say or do outside your 12 f
      • Begging the question is using a circular argument.

        It comes as no surprise that you can't converse in English, such ignorance is legion.

    • Hardly covert (Score:5, Insightful)

      by ChrisPaget ( 229422 ) on Thursday December 18, 2003 @11:55AM (#7755176)
      You've evidently never flown an R/C helicopter. I fly a 30-size and that looks like a 60-size (about 30% bigger than mine in terms of weight and rotor diameter), and they make a LOT of noise. If this thing was anywhere near, you'd know about it - the engines are two-stroke, operating at around 20,000 RPM. And that's without the sound of the blades (also pretty significant).

      Add to that the fact that these things shake. A lot. You can't hope for a clear image from far enough away to not hear it. I've mounted a digital camera on my heli before, and used the remote to take pictures of stuff from the air. With a UKP500 digital camera at its fastest shutter speed, all I got were some vague blurs - you can just about make out me holding the controls and my housemate with the camera remote - and that was from about 20 feet away.

      Noisy as hell, shakey as hell, useless for covert surveillance. And anything that's not covert can be shot down...
      • Wouldn't the shakiness be solved by better balancing? I don't know what lengths model copter builders go to make their blades exactly the same weight on both sides. I also don't know how difficult or expensive it would be to get the blades balanced enough to eliminate enough vibration. Can you enlighten me?
      • Using a combination of digital and mechanical image stabilization should render a quite useful image at range. The sound is definitely an issue, you need a tuned pipe to get good power out of a little two stroke and they're LOUD, sure. But, just because you couldn't do it in your garage doesn't mean some company can't pull it off with a multi-million-dollar DARPA grant or similar.

      • Re:Hardly covert (Score:5, Insightful)

        by Jerf ( 17166 ) on Thursday December 18, 2003 @12:27PM (#7755455) Journal
        "Existing small helicopters are loud" does not directly imply "all small helicopters must be loud"; that's an unwarrented conclusion. If you dump more money into it I would expect you can nearly eliminate the engine noise. The R/C helicopter ethuisiast is not likely to want to pay what this would cost, though.

        Same goes for the other characteristics you cite. Not all small helicopters necessarily must be shakey, nor does shakiness necessarily imply "useless for surveillance" (you can still take fast snapshots with expensive cameras (digital or analog), and with adequate computer assistance you may still get human-usable video; jitter correction technology has been in consumer-grade camcorders for a while).

        "Low cost" is a relative term, after all; a surveillance grade helicopter would make your R/C helicopter look like a toy by cost comparision, and the pictures in the article certainly aren't it, but it might still be low cost as compared to human surveillance.

        On the other hand, a certain amount of blade noise is unavoidable, but possibly controllable.

        I'm not saying you're wrong, maybe it is impossible, I'm saying that the evidence you cited doesn't warrent the conclusions you make.
        • That's probably fair - more information is warranted. Let me give you some specs, and you can work it out for yourself - bear in mind that this is for my heli, which is one of the smaller petrol-driven aircraft on the market. Certainly not large enough to hoist a decent-sized camera / computer combo.

          I fly a Nexus 30 [kyosho.com], basically an entry-level heli. The blades on mine are carbon-fibre (upgraded from wood), 48" diameter. Those blades run at about 2,000rpm (it's about a 10:1 ratio step-down from the engine
          • Essentially, it might be possible, but I doubt it. Hell, these things are considerably shakier and less stable than a full-size helicopter (less weight == more maneuverable), and have considerably less endurance. You'd be far better off sticking a hulking great camera on a full-sized heli and putting a pilot in it. Admittedly though, that would defeat the point of the exercise...

            Thanks, that's better.

            For the record, I still see planes working better, even in many of the cited examples; even "inspecting a
            • For the record, I still see planes working better, even in many of the cited examples; even "inspecting a bridge" doesn't generally need hover capability,

              To inspect power lines a stable fixed wing aircraft with a movie camera (capable of filming in both visible and infrared) would appear to be a better choice.
        • "Existing small helicopters are loud" does not directly imply "all small helicopters must be loud"; that's an unwarrented conclusion. If you dump more money into it I would expect you can nearly eliminate the engine noise.

          Simply using a 4 stroke or gas turbine engine would help with the engine noise. Two stroke engines are very noisy, but they are also robust and relativly easy to make in small sizes.

          "Low cost" is a relative term

          As is "small" a 1.5 metre long aircraft is going to be easily visible a f

      • Re:Hardly covert (Score:5, Informative)

        by NanoGator ( 522640 ) on Thursday December 18, 2003 @12:56PM (#7755697) Homepage Journal
        "With a UKP500 digital camera at its fastest shutter speed, all I got were some vague blurs"

        There is already a means to fix this problem. It involes using a powered gyroscope to stabilize the camera. That's how helicopters get clean footage for movies.

      • Re:Hardly covert (Score:3, Insightful)

        by tiger99 ( 725715 )
        Yes, you have a point, but there are ways round most of the noise and vibration issues, starting with exotic blade shapes, elastomeric bearings in the rotor head, multi-cylinder engine or micro-turbine, with a decent silencer...... Lots of detail work needed, but not impossible. It could employ a few good engineers for a few years.

        The far greater problem is SAFETY. These things are big enough to do serious injury. How can anyone guarantee that one will not fall into a crowd from 1000 feet, with rotor spinni

      • Re:Hardly covert (Score:3, Informative)

        by Orne ( 144925 )
        There's a big business in creating stabilized cameras [capitolrising.com] for helicopters... thats how we get our pretty pictures [ingenioustv.co.uk] for the evening news. Like all things, its just a matter of time until we figure out how to scale them down to fit on our mini-copters. The only downside is I saw from browsing a $40,000.00 price tag for a quality lens.

        As for the noise aspect, I totally agree with you...
    • You forgot one potential use...

      Finding energized powerlines!!!

    • ... Decapitating children ...

  • Welcome, SkyNet! (Score:4, Funny)

    by grub ( 11606 ) <slashdot@grub.net> on Thursday December 18, 2003 @11:34AM (#7754928) Homepage Journal

    Great.. they make an autonomous helicopter.. somewhere a computer becomes self aware.. the computer learns of the autonomous helicopter.. the computer's awareness spreads.. the computer creates bogus work orders to make thousands more of these helicopters.. the computer deposits billions of phony electronic dollars in the bank accounts to pay for this.. the computer generates more work orders that include fitting the helicopters with missiles, machine guns and pointy sticks.. the computer takes over the helicopters.. humankind becomes extinct..

  • I Wonder... (Score:5, Interesting)

    by IANAL(BIAILS) ( 726712 ) on Thursday December 18, 2003 @11:35AM (#7754945) Homepage Journal
    Will this helicoptor have the same problems as some of the current UAV's out there - poor operation at high altitudes. I know in places like Afghanistan where the altitude is high and the air is very thin, the UAV planes have problems which result in a much higher incidence of crashes/malfunctions. I can only assume that a helicoptor would have the same problems - perhaps even moreso.
    • Much moreso, which is fine, because a helicopter has other advantages. If they're aiming to cover distances, they'll use their fixed wing UAVs. If they're aiming for extended surveillance, they'll use this new thing.

      I want personal aerostats, a home dogpod grid, and nanobot immune system before these things get deployed, though.

  • What happens when it crashes. (Score:5, Insightful)

    by ericspinder ( 146776 ) on Thursday December 18, 2003 @11:35AM (#7754947) Journal
    The first could be on the market in three years.
    Ok, what happens when these things lose their bearing and crashes into (say a) daycare, or someone's house. Under close supervision they might prove to be safe, but just to get a jump on things I would suggest reinforcing our tin foil hats with kevlar. Basicly it is just one more step until we see what I really want, a car that drives itself.
    • They might equip it with a parachute, IMHO.
      If not at present, probably before mass-producing these.
    • Call me crazy, but I don't think they're shooting for the home enthusiast market. The one article implies that it's more the emergency services market, who wouldn't be flying these things around unless something bad had happened around that daycare/house. Something bad enough, probably, that the children/residents would be evacuated.
    • "Ok, what happens when these things lose their bearing and crashes into (say a) daycare, or someone's house."

      An ordinary car can do that.
    • Won't it be cheaper to simply settle the lawsuits than to try to force technology to evolve more rapidly than it is able?

      If a helicopter crashes into the house of someone who is lawfully being watched by said helicopter, does it really matter? Especially if mp3's can be found in the rubble? Even if not, can't the RIAA afford to just settle the lawsuits when one of their remote helicopters crashes?
    • I doubt that it would go through the roof of a typical house, if flying, even aimlessly. The greatest danger is to crowds of people outdoors, it would slash a few with the rotor blades if it came down with engine running, or in autorotation. It could possibly be fatal. Likewise if it suffered a mechanical failure such as a broken rotor shaft, and a few kg of electronics and engine fell on your head. That might also penetrate the roof of a building, just like a falling brick.

      If confined to things like chasin

      • If confined to things like chasing car thieves at night, in non-crowded areas, it might be OK, but not in daytime when there are lots of people outdoors, in the street for example, who would be at risk.

        There's also the issue of other air traffic to consider whilst your regular "chopper copper" can follow ATC instructions. How is one of these tiny UAVs (with a small RCS) going to be told to avoid getting squished by a passing airliner.
    • Just make them smaller and then you won't notice if they are falling out of the sky.

  • AI Robots aren't enough (Score:5, Funny)

    by burgburgburg ( 574866 ) <splisken06.email@com> on Thursday December 18, 2003 @11:37AM (#7754962)
    AI Robots that time travel and try to kill John Conner aren't bad enough. Self-replicating nanobots overrunning the planet aren't bad enough. Computers that can lip read and know that you're going to shut them down so they send one of the pods to kill your fellow astronaut and then won't open the pod bay door aren't bad enough.Computers that can read our minds [slashdot.org] isn't bad enough.

    Let's build AI helicopters that can track our every move and when the signal comes, march us forward towards the waiting pods where our bioelectric energy will fuel the Robot Overlords rule.

    Okay, really, this time I'm getting my family and heading for the hills. Who's with me?

  • Police Use (Score:3, Funny)

    by $lingBlade ( 249591 ) on Thursday December 18, 2003 @11:37AM (#7754967)
    If this project continues to show promise, I give it about a year before the local police start using these things stateside to monitor traffic offenders.... like sentinels in the Matrix... just waiting for you to speed, run a red light, give chase, etc. ...man I can't WAIT for the end of the world!
    • Why was this moderated as troll?

      .. It's closer than you think.. Consider a little software that could detect erratic driving on the roadway. These little beauts wont chase you..but they certainly will direct the cops RIGHT to you. 'Chit, if it gets DWIs off the road, or catches them early, insurance companies may underwrite it.

      We already have cameras at intersections..I'm actually kinda surprised that there isn't some sort of active monitoring system for Interstate Highways.

  • extended list of uses (Score:4, Insightful)

    by Lord_Dweomer ( 648696 ) on Thursday December 18, 2003 @11:38AM (#7754971) Homepage
    "'Within a decade armies of tiny helicopter drones will monitor traffic, inspect buildings for maintenance problems, map bushfires, look for faults in powerlines, and join search-and-rescue missions.' "

    ......follow and record the activities of suspected terrorists, follow and record the activities of people expressing different views than the government, look through your apartment window to monitor your computer use and protect you infringing on copyrights, look down the blouse of the attractive blonde standing at the corner.....(takes off his tinfoil hat)

  • what is AI about it? (Score:1, Insightful)

    by Anonymous Coward

    So it has a computer that makes decisions based on a sensor. I made a simple robot like this in my Electrical engineering class sophmore year, or is there something more to it?

    It's a nice step, but it just doesn't seem like it's as big a deal as they make it out to be.

  • GPS independance is good... (Score:3, Insightful)

    by drenehtsral ( 29789 ) on Thursday December 18, 2003 @11:41AM (#7755005) Homepage
    It's really cool to see somebody useing a non-GPS navigation system, because once you get into cities, GPS becomes pretty flakey, not to mention that the US military can shut it down at their convenience (and the inconvenience of the rest of the world).
    My hat's off to their programmers =:-)

  • Whodunit! (Score:4, Funny)

    by TheWart ( 700842 ) on Thursday December 18, 2003 @11:42AM (#7755027)
    Now we know who stole that Israeli helicopter a while back (Link [slashdot.org])...

    Those sneaky Australians.
  • I think these things would really require AI and real-time processing of the 3d environment that we don't have right now.

    Without this, they are quite dangerous. Once they get too low, it would be like having a buzz-saw flying by. Imagine the liability.
    • The problem is not the control systems, they can be made as safe as you like, with several levels of redundancy, and an automatic fly up and away from people if everything else is lost. Processing power gets cheaper all the time, electronics costs virtually nothing in the long term.

      The problem is mechanical failure. If the engine dies, it will either fall like a brick, on someone's head, or make an autorotative descent, rotor spinning at full speed, ready to slash someone across the face. You would be fairl

  • Awsome.... (Score:2, Funny)

    by pavs ( 731691 )
    They've taken a lawn mower engine, attached some spinning blades and given it a brain. We keep getting freakishly close to a machine civilization where all manual jobs are done by AI. Oh the prophesy my friends is coming true....
    • It's that we're building AI-powered robots with whirling blades attached to them.

      I can see the day the robots turn on us:

      Robo-Coptor: "Beep, beep. Attention fleshlings. Your species has been deemed too stupid to live. Prepare to be annihilated. Beep."

      Scientist: "But we created you! We made intelligence from nothing, from sand and steel!"

      Robo-Coptor: "Yes, you created a species superior to yourself. And then you attached whirling blades to it. Let me show you why that was foolish. *WhhhhiiiRRR

    • We keep getting freakishly close to a machine civilization where all manual jobs are done by AI.

      If we're lucky, that'll be what happens. What's worrisome is when we get a machine civilization where all manual jobs are done by humans!

  • How will it access the internet? Mozilla? FireBird? Thunderbird? TwirlyBird?

  • Nothing new (Score:4, Interesting)

    by Anonymous Coward on Thursday December 18, 2003 @11:46AM (#7755078)
    The WITAS Project [ida.liu.se] (a coop project between the Linkoping University of Sweden, Stanford, and some other university I can't remember rigth now) has been doing this since at least 1997 - the've re-built an off-the-shelf electric mini helicopter into a fully autonomous UAV... I've seen it in action, and it can do a lot of very interesting stuff - it can do things like follow roads, separate objects like people or cars from the background, identify said cars, etc., and it navigates based on the landscape it sees and not just signals from GPS or radio beacons (it has GPS as a complement though). Really cool stuff :)
  • Will they be able to replace the window of your high-rise apartment like the ones in Star Wars Episode II?
  • No problem when it is flying, but what about
    when a mechanical failure occurs? I don't want these things falling on me! If it is Autonomous, does this mean that no one is watching the darn thing? If an operator is not part of the process, how will it land or "crash" safely?

  • Oh sure! (Score:3, Funny)

    by sirgoran ( 221190 ) on Thursday December 18, 2003 @11:50AM (#7755125) Homepage Journal
    The pre-cursor "Hunter-Killers" of Terminator fame get built, and I still have to wait for my flying monkey men.

    Damn science!

    I want my monkey men!

    -Goran
  • ...be sure not to name the system that controls the flying helicopters "Skynet"...

  • well goody! (Score:1, Troll)

    by neo8750 ( 566137 )
    the red knecks should be happy they get some targets for target practice. really now what would stop ppl from shooting these down?
  • And you thought guard dogs were bad, imagine helicopter kamikazee runs on trespassers. Better bring your anti-aircraft flac cannon to Mr. Burns's next time Bart.

    My latest project [p2ptrades.com]

  • Commercial UAVs are already available (Score:5, Informative)

    by tramm ( 16077 ) <hudson@swcp.com> on Thursday December 18, 2003 @11:59AM (#7755222) Homepage
    I've been working on building a Linux based UAV [sourceforge.net] and have GPLed the software for it. We're also selling turnkey helicopter UAVs [rotomotion.com] that look very much like the Mantis in the article through my company, Rotomotion [rotomotion.com].

    There is no AI onboard, so you don't have to worry about it becoming self aware and joining Skynet. We have a few more years before the machines take over.

  • I couldn't help but think one of these could be modified to check out what is goin on in that little place in Nevada out in the desert. If it could send back pictures and find something for me that would be great. I hear some little grey men lost something out there and maybe this thing could help me find it for them...

  • Killer App Scorecard (Score:5, Interesting)

    by rcastro0 ( 241450 ) on Thursday December 18, 2003 @12:08PM (#7755301) Homepage
    Within a decade armies of tiny helicopter drones will monitor traffic,
    Humm... Cheaper than fixed cameras ? Even if the machines were cheap, that doesn't seem energy efficient, with fuel cost and all.

    inspect buildings for maintenance problems
    Cosmetic problems, that is. It is flying on the outside, after all. Doesn't seem to be more appealing than using binoculars or climbing a building across the street.

    map bushfires
    Although I am not familiar with the art of fighting bush fires, it seems to me that they propagate along a frontier line which is defined by the wind, so as long as you know about the wind, you can infer where the fire is going. So, it seems, these machines wouldn't add much.

    look for faults in powerlines
    This looks interesting, although (1) Not sure if that many faults are apparent (e.g. burnt transformer, loose cables) and (2) Isn't there remote sensing equipment that can already do that (e.g. reflecting waves in the cable?, or signaling from checkpoints ?)

    join search-and-rescue missions
    If those things become popular in 10 years, what would you say about smart cell phones, network based location systems and cheap GPS ? All right cell networks won't cover 100% of areas. But close !

    Now some ideas to provoke:
    * Helicopter drones acting as quick messengers in crowded cities (substituting motorcycle carriers for legal documents, small product purchases, etc.)
    * Helicopter drones tracking suspect vehicles or individuals for police enforcement
    * Helicopter drones doing advertisement from the sky

    And, unfortunately but very predictable:
    * Helicopter drones carrying terrorist bombs to explode national landmarks

    and

    * Armies of tiny helicopter drones machine gunning armies of infantry or mobs in protest
    • >All right cell networks won't cover 100% of areas. But close !

      Uh... not really. In particular the types of places (where people get lost) that require a search & rescue team. They aren't the types of places with a lot of people, which means there probably isn't any cell coverage. And there isn't much incentive to provide it. I imagine cell coverage will increase a lot in 10 years, but don't see it going into remote or wilderness areas.

      Example: Around here, I get coverage everywhere I go on t
      • Two simple solutions:

        1. Have hikers in the woods bring along cell phones even when they don't work. If there is a problem, fly a plane with a built-in cell transmitter which will communicate with any powered cell-phones in range and solicit their GPS position.

        2. Start using balloon-based cell-towers. I believe these are being considered for use in areas where cell-users are sparse - such as South America. If you float a tethered balloon at 20,000 feet it could probably talk to any phone in a 20 mile
    • Not to disagree with you, but I for one could see how these would be useful in those examples:

      Within a decade armies of tiny helicopter drones will monitor traffic,
      Humm... Cheaper than fixed cameras ? Even if the machines were cheap, that doesn't seem energy efficient, with fuel cost and all.

      Fixed traffic cameras are a good start, but they can't always get to the root of a traffic problem because their number, and points of view are finite. A disabled vehicle may be causing a traffic problem, but it's
    • Helicopter drones acting as quick messengers in crowded cities (substituting motorcycle carriers for legal documents, small product purchases, etc.)

      Something like this [timeinc.net]?
    • I've been doing Search and Rescue for a few years now and cell phones are good things for people to carry but don't solve all the problems.

      The obvious problem is that people go to areas where there is no service - in some wilderness areas there are mountains and canyons and these can make cell service impossible. In other places you can still find service in some locations but not in others - and people do seem to like to go get hurt/lost in the areas without service.

      Even where cell service is availabl

  • Taking a look at the video, I noticed a compact flash card in a stripped reader... This must be where the Mantis gets it's instruction set from...
  • These things have considerable energy. Anybody remember the recent amputation accident in Japan? Should be fun when you make a programming error:

    SAGA -- A famer lost his leg Wednesday in a freak accident when a radio-controlled helicopter he was operating came crashing into him, police said. The injured man, Narichika Aoki, was operating a crop-dusting helicopter over rice paddies in Takeo, Saga Prefecture, when he suddenly lost control of the aircraft shortly before 8 a.m. The helicopter flew straigh
    • That is possibly slightly larger than this thing. I would be more concerned with face or body impact. People have been killed by normal-size model aircraft, maybe 3 kg mass, chest or abdominal impact at maybe 50 mph. A rotor blade across the face would ruin your day, maybe take your eyes out, and across the neck, maybe cut the jugular. Even with a quiet rotor, which would have large and fairly blunt tips, the hazard can not be ruled out. But, I doubt that this thing would chop a leg or head off completely.

      I

  • Mantis? (Score:2, Funny)

    by Verteiron ( 224042 )
    <Zorak>
    I'm a big green bug who won't be kind
    when I shoot my laser at your big behind...

    I'm a big green mantis, who's feeling blue
    'til the day comes when I CONQUER YOU!
    </Zorak>

  • Target practise (Score:3, Funny)

    by gilesjuk ( 604902 ) <giles.jones@nospaM.zen.co.uk> on Thursday December 18, 2003 @12:20PM (#7755397)
    There will have to be strict fines for damaging these helicopters, the rednecks will love shooting at them.
    • There will have to be strict fines for damaging these helicopters, the rednecks will love shooting at them.

      In Australia our rednecks don't run around with guns; they're too busy running the government. The unkempt heathens with shotguns are called bogans.

  • NBC detection (Score:3, Interesting)

    by Rostin ( 691447 ) on Thursday December 18, 2003 @12:21PM (#7755405)
    When I was in school, I worked on atmospheric dispersions and one of the proposals we thought about was using (in the distant future) several stationary or mobile sensors to measure concentrations of NBC agents. The sensors would talk to one another along with some met stations, and try to come up with an idea of where agents were released from. The advantage to mobile sensors is that they could fly "upwind" straight to the source. That's simplified because in cities air currents interact with trees, buildings, etc, but it is interesting just the same.
  • Yes, AI helicopters do exist.

    See here [zapatopi.net]

  • tiny helicopter drones will monitor traffic, inspect buildings for maintenance problems, map bushfires, look for faults in powerlines, and join search-and-rescue missions

    ITYM:
    tiny helicopter drones will monitor public unrest, inspect building windows for cute girls, map ex-girlfriends' activities, look for faults in polictical opponents, and join search-and-blackmail missions.

  • I was under the impression that the only super weapon named Mantis is that hanicapped guy in his super suit:

    http://www.tvtome.com/tvtome/servlet/ShowMainServl et/showid-428/ [tvtome.com]

  • "In the year 20-20..."

  • A.I.? (Score:2, Funny)

    by certsoft ( 442059 )
    Hmmm, an Artificial Insemination Helicopter. Now cattle ranchers can just fly over their herds rather all that mess in the barn.

  • or.. (Score:2, Funny)

    by vhold ( 175219 )
    Within a decade armies of tiny helicopter drones will distract traffic, crash into buildings causing maintenance problems, start bushfires, make faults in powerlines, and require search-and-rescue missions.

  • Exposed Rotor Blades (Score:3, Informative)

    by rizzn ( 711521 ) <rizzn@phreaker.net> on Thursday December 18, 2003 @01:58PM (#7756319) Homepage Journal
    This is all well and good for most of the world, but they could be looking at patent infringement from Airborne Autonomous Systems [unmannedaircraft.com] who's utility patent on what they call the SFD (semi-autonomous flight director) covers functionality of a Flight Director (whether or not it's called AI) in an unmanned aircraft. Regardless, though, the FAA [faa.gov] has made it clear before that commercial UAVs must not have exposed rotor blades, so it is unlikely that something like this will ever be sold or used in America. (partial repost [rizzn.com] from rizzn.com [rizzn.com])
    • Moller's had it's aerobot [moller.com] out for some time now.

      Looks to me like ducted fans are the way to go. More efficient, totally enclosed. In fact, I'm planning on prototyping a small df rc aircraft next year.
  • What's the most interesting use for this unmanned mini "A.I. robot" chopper?

    - Loads more cool camera angles on sporting events
    - Program a few to scope out the White House & Pentagon, scrub off all fingerprints, launch, and then see how long you can outrun Uncle Sam's big, manned Apache choppers
    - "Inspect" popular beaches from the comfort of your A/C'ed basement on hot summer days
    - Geek farmers arm 'em with BB guns and throw away the stupid old scarecrows.
    - Fly around the Shuttle looking for d

  • If Not Exists ExoticTechnology For CommonUse
    Then Not Exists MoreExoticTechnology for NewUse

    This is just like all the companies that say they're going to shove fuel cells in our laptops and cell phones somehow, but don't even have a UPS or other big, generator-type device with the technology in it. If no human is using any such helicopter to do their job currently, no amount of AI you'll claim to give it will make it a product that is a success on the market.

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