This Wired Science video documents the unlikely intersection of Chris Hardwick and DIY UAVs. It also includes a segment on a group of UAV hobbyists at the Alameda Naval Air Station (with an appearance by DIY UAV personality Jack Crossfire) and a bit on some UAV work being done at NASA Ames.
Chris Anderson demonstrated his Minimum Blimp UAV concept at TED (somewhat based on Jed Berk's Blubber Bot), but ran into some trouble. “Lesson 3: Don't update your firmware five minutes before you're going to fly an autonomous robot ten feet away from a former Vice President of the United States.”
Link to his (four) Powerpoint slides: ted.ppt
In this BoingBoing TV episode, Xeni Jardin talks with Chris Anderson and Jordi Munoz about the Minimum Blimp UAV at ETech. Xeni: “I'm being mounted by a drone!”
When Chris mentions the IR sensors that cost a couple bucks, the video actually shows Evolution Robotics' NorthStar IR navigation system, which is more like a couple hundred bucks.
Posted by jjwiseman at March 13, 2008 01:04 PMGreat work in creating an extremely low cost solution with unlimited applications. This is needed, UAV technology is way too costly now, its ridiculous. - Lance
Posted by: Lance Winslow on March 13, 2008 08:47 PM