Robotic Flies May Someday Buzz Around?

Posted 19 Feb 2004 at 01:37 UTC by The Swirling Brain

The Register has an article about the shrinking surveillance plane! British scientists are developing micro planes with flapping wings for military reconnaissance and surveillance. The hope is to build 50 gram micro-planes that can stay aloft for about an hour and fly a few miles. These little guys will be fitted with video cameras to bug the baddies. The Bath University is being funded by BAE SYSTEMS, the British Ministry of Defense and the US Air Force. I'm sure there aren't any privacy concerns.

Older Robots.net articles...

• Epson Creates World's Smallest MAV
• How do you make a Robo-Dragonfly Fly?
• Micro Air Vehicles and Ornithopers
• Micro Air Vehicle Powered by Fuel Cell
• New Micro Air Vehicle Endurance Record
• Micromechanical Flying Insects

Cybercops and trade secrets, posted 19 Feb 2004 at 07:19 UTC by motters » (Master)

This initial application of such flyplanes may be military, but you can bet that a few years down the line they would be used to replace police on the streets or used by politicians and captains of industry to spy on their rivals (remember Tom Baker as the evil wizard in Simbad's Golden Voyage).

Spy Cockroaches, posted 19 Feb 2004 at 15:27 UTC by earlwb » (Master)

I personally like the spy cockroach in the movie "The Fifth Element" myself.