It looks like China is a rapidly growing market that not only offers the world affordable alternatives to a myriad of consumers product, but it is now actively vying for a piece of the military hardware pie too. The unmanned attack helicopter, the AV500W, you see here from state-owned Aviation Industry Corp of China (AVIC) is one such military hardware aimed at the global market. The AV500W was recently unveiled at the fourth China Helicopter Expo at Tianjin where over 400 helicopter manufacturers and vendors from 22 nations and regions participated. Continue reading China Offers ‘Affordable’ Counterterrorism Solution With Unmanned Attack Helicopter
Tag Archives: Drone
This Cyborg Dragonfly Is The Microbot From Deception Point In Real Life
In Dan Brown’s Deception Point (Pocket Books, ISBN-13 978-1416524809), the author wrote about a breakthrough in biomimicry; a dragonfly-like microbot no longer than a centimeter that is primarily used for reconnaissance (or more unglamorously, spying) and recharges by nearby magnetic field. It is not hard to imagine how farfetched it sounded back in 2001, but given the technology we possessed today, farfetched it is not. In fact, it looks like Dan Brown’s words have come true. Eerily and freakishly, there’s a working microbot today that is not only a realization of Dan Brown’s fictional microbot, but it pretty much pushes the boundary biomimicry. Continue reading This Cyborg Dragonfly Is The Microbot From Deception Point In Real Life
Airobotics Raises $32.5 Million To Meet Growing Demands In Mining And Homeland Security Industries
Remember Airobotics? The futuristic automated industrial drone system designed to patrol your commercial perimeter autonomously? Well, these are guys are not only really, really serious about what they are doing, but they want to do even more. The Israel-based company has announced the completion of a whopping $32.5 million Round C funding, led by BlueRun Ventures China, along with Microsoft Ventures, OurCrowd.com and an unnamed strategic investor. With the new found financial injection, Airobotics will be able to extend its unique service to more industries, such as in mining and homeland security which could benefit from autonomous intelligent drones. Continue reading Airobotics Raises $32.5 Million To Meet Growing Demands In Mining And Homeland Security Industries
Is Herrera Bladeless Drone Concept The Next Evolution In Drone Tech?
Consumer-grade drones are a dime a doze. It seems like everyone knows how to build one and sell it to you for a handsome amount. Most drones available today differentiate themselves with sophisticated software and sensors, but really, that is all there is to it. The drivetrain that makes them take flight is pretty much the same, comprising of, you know, brushless motors and rotors. While companies are cashing on this common technology, design engineer Edgar Herrera decided to challenge the status quo. And what he has proposed is, imho, a slap on capitalist businesses who seek little to no innovations and taking the easy way out to milk the market. Continue reading Is Herrera Bladeless Drone Concept The Next Evolution In Drone Tech?
Airdog Takes The Next-Gen Handsfree Camera Drone To Kickstarter
AirDog, the pioneer of digital leash drone, is back with a second auto-follow camera drone called Airdog ADII. This backpack-able drone (granted, you will need a full-size backpack for it) features an advanced intelligent tracking technology that adapts to the terrain that it is flying over. So, there’s no worry that your cycling adventure may take under some trees because, ADII will know to go over them and keep up with you when you emerge from the woods. Unlike most auto-follow drones which are controller first, auto-follow second, ADII is built from the ground up to be a handsfree drone. In other words, ADII involves zero manned operation. Continue reading Airdog Takes The Next-Gen Handsfree Camera Drone To Kickstarter
Drone Racing League Built The Fastest Racing Drone, Made World Record
It is official. The world’s fastest drone is the RacerX, built by Drone Racing League (DRL). RacerX set the Guinness World Records for the Fastest ground speed by a battery-powered remote-controlled quadcopter as it swooped back and forth across a measurement course of 328 feet (100 meters), clocking in a mind-bending average top speed of 163.5 miles per hour (263 km/h!). This record-making quadcopter was the handiwork Ryan Gury, DRL’s Director of Product, who was backed by DRL’s very own team of expert drone engineers. Continue reading Drone Racing League Built The Fastest Racing Drone, Made World Record
Rally Car Catching Some Air Nearly Took Out A Drone In Its Path
Drone has become a norm and so are the incidents of drone being taken out of the sky accidentally or intentionally. In a recent incident, a low-flying drone attempt to capture a spectacular footage of an oncoming rally car, a Toyota WRC piloted by Esapekka Lappi, catching some air, but unfortunately it got in the way of the launching car and resulted in a collision. Fortunately, like any good, accomplished rally car driver, the Finnish driver presses on and landed beautifully before speeding off leaving a cloud of dust as spectators cheered on. We are not quite sure if the excitement and applauses were for the beautifully executed Micky’s Jump, or a celebratory cheer for another injured drone (unlikely), or for the team’s ability to advert a potential deadly disaster. Continue reading Rally Car Catching Some Air Nearly Took Out A Drone In Its Path
DJI’s New Mini Drone Is Tech-packed And It’s Controllable By Hands Too
This is Spark, DJI’s mini imaging drone that is, well, fun. It is small, sports a refreshing design, and it launches right from the palm of your hand. While small, Spark has all the DJI technologies you will find on regular drones like the Phantom, or perhaps, even more. It powers up simply by recognizing your face, has stable hovering capability for capturing selfie/wefie, and it can return and land on your palm when you wave at it. And oh yea, in addition to the usual control means like DJI remote controller, mobile device, and DJI Goggles, Spark can be controlled by Continue reading DJI’s New Mini Drone Is Tech-packed And It’s Controllable By Hands Too
This Is Otsaw O-R3, The World’s First Ground-Aerial Outdoor Security
This is O-R3, a four-wheel security robot from Singapore-based Otsaw Digital that is designed to take the place of humans to patrol large outdoor compound. With a chubby and somewhat diminutive stature, coupled with big round headlights that look like eyes, the O-R3 looks more like a cartoon character out to entertain kids. However, kids it will not entertain for it as more important tasks at hand. Beneath its cute appearance hides an array of sophisticated technologies, including high-tech sensors, advanced machine learning algorithm and 3D SLAM technology, that will allow it to execute patrol duties normally carried by humans. Continue reading This Is Otsaw O-R3, The World’s First Ground-Aerial Outdoor Security
BIKI Is A Bionic Underwater Drone That Mimics A Fish And Does 4K Videoing
Those who travel on land for leisure have aerial imaging drones to capture breathtaking images, handsfree, but what about those who prefer to sightsee in open waters? About that, there are actually quite a few underwater imaging drones that will do the same for avid sea lovers and this little fellow you see here, called BIKI, is one of the newest entrants to the still-growing underwater drone market. But unlike the offerings we have seen thus far, BIKI is a little offbeat in the sense that it is more like a robot, or a bionic unmanned underwater vehicle, to be precise. Continue reading BIKI Is A Bionic Underwater Drone That Mimics A Fish And Does 4K Videoing