Rise of the Drones

From The Week:

Engineers are working to make drones self-sufficient, so they can repair themselves if disabled. Drones are also becoming increasingly deadly. There are now 28 Reapers, the successor to the Predator, in the U.S. Air Force. Each is capable of flying at 50,000 feet, carrying up to 14 Hellfire missiles, and using infrared sensors to distinguish the “heat signatures” of rocket launchers, anti-aircraft guns, and other firepower on the ground. The Government Accountability Office envisions a future in which drones can remain aloft for months, using fuel cells or airborne refueling. “These systems today are very much Model T Fords,” says defense analyst P.W. Singer. “These things will only get more advanced.”

UAV Showcase Hits the UK

UAVs are becoming a military staple to improve reconnaissance and intelligence, particularly in the US. Not only are spy blimps soon to become common in arsenals, but much more compact and cost-effective models are also in the works.

At the National Science and Engineering Week, the UK Ministry of Defense showcased the past, present and future of UAV history, including aircrafts currently deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan and models to look out for going forward.

Fascinating chart from BBC News outlining the specifications of different-sized UAVs:

Very cool stuff. Check out the rest of the models displayed, both current and next-generation, right here.

Do it Yourself UAVs Explained

Have RC aircraft, radio transmission systems, camera phones, and other navigational programming techniques and technologies become so cheap and available today that we are witnessing a homebrew UAV boom?



Yep!

The Coming Robocalypse

As the public waits in breathless anticipation of the next Terminator movie, the Office of Naval Research has been studying the likelihood of a real robot uprising.

You can read the full report here, but let me share with you one of my favorite tidbits.

In April 2008, several TALON SWORDS units—mobile robots armed with machine guns—in Iraq were reported to be grounded for reasons not fully disclosed, though early reports claim the robots, without being commanded to, trained their guns on ‘friendly’ soldiers [e.g., Page, 2008]; and later reports denied this account but admitted there had been malfunctions during the development and testing phase prior to deployment [e.g., Sofge, 2008]. The full story does not appear to have yet emerged, but either way, the incident underscores the public’s anxiety—and the military’s sensitivity—with the use of robotics on the battlefield.).

My ED-209 nightmares from childhood aside, I know that present AI technology is a long long long way from posing any meaningful risk to our society as a whole outside kind accidents that have marked all forms of industrial progress. Still, I do hope that a lifetime of movies featuring rebellious robots has given us all a healthy dose of caution, if not paranoia, in this particular area of technological exploration.

Camera Meet Robo Beetle

I've looked at robotic insects before, but getting "bugged" is really starting to take on new meaning with this one.

Via Technology Review:

Most previous research in controlling insect flight has focused on moths. But beetles have certain advantages. The giant flower beetle's size--it ranges in weight from four to ten grams and is four to eight centimeters long--means that it can carry relatively heavy payloads. To be used for search-and-rescue missions, for example, the insect would need to carry a small camera and heat sensor.

$17,000 Megapixel UAV-Spybot

Check out this video of new LP960 UAV via Engadget Spanish:

Nice music. The 10 mega-pixel imager in the current model, seems a little light to me, however, considering what is possible today.

iPhone Aerial Surveillance

Some students at Berkeley have found a way to bring Unmanned Arial Vehicles (UAVs) to the masses...and all you need is an iPhone:



Thank you Steve Jobs!