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Diminutive Device to Detect Drones Hovering Overhead


Monroe

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Interesting ... "FAA certifies first two drones for commercial use", more interesting are the comments below the article ... this one says anything under 50 lbs is considered a model, those two drones are just over 50 lbs (?) ... wonder if they could be under 50 lbs but were made to be over 50 lbs. The article says "both weigh less than 55 pounds" but maybe over the 50 lbs limit?

Yep its sad the government is light-years behind us,

FAA Modernization And Reform Act 2012 [H.R.658.ENR] SEC.336

it clearly states anything under 50 lbs is a model and not bound by the FAA rules. Lawyers can fight over that all day reality is till you hurt someone, bother someone or make money off it nobody is going to care.

...

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I guess that situation (on Law side) is much more complex than that.

The document is however public:
http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CRPT-112hrpt381/pdf/CRPT-112hrpt381.pdf

I guess that the first point that makes the certification needed for those is that a "model" can ONLY be flown for hobby:

(1) the aircraft is flown strictly for hobby or recreational use;
(2) the aircraft is operated in accordance with a community-based set of safety guidelines and within the programming of a nationwide community-based organization;
(3) the aircraft is limited to not more than 55 pounds unless otherwise certified through a design, construction, inspection, flight test, and operational safety program administered
by a community-based organization;
(4) the aircraft is operated in a manner that does not interfere with and gives way to any manned aircraft; and
(5) when flown within 5 miles of an airport, the operator of the aircraft provides the airport operator and the airport air traffic control tower (when an air traffic facility is located at
the airport) with prior notice of the operation (model aircraft operators flying from a permanent location within 5 miles of an airport should establish a mutually-agreed upon operating procedure with the airport operator and the airport air traffic control tower (when an air traffic facility is located at the airport)).


and, later:

© MODEL AIRCRAFT DEFINED.—In this section, the term ‘‘model aircraft’’ means an unmanned aircraft that is—
(1) capable of sustained flight in the atmosphere;
(2) flown within visual line of sight of the person operating
the aircraft; and
(3) flown for hobby or recreational purposes.





jaclaz

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Well, I may have finally found a reason to like drones ...

African officials seek U.S. drones to fight elephant poachers

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/jul/31/elephants-rhinos-lions-and-drones-tanzania-conside/

Tanzania’s storied wildlife reserves could soon get a watchful, winged inhabitant: U.S. drones.

On his visit to the East African nation last month, President Obama discussed the possibility of using unarmed, unmanned aircraft to help overstretched park rangers combat the growing problem of elephant poaching in Tanzania’s vast wildlife reserves and national parks, Tanzanian Ambassador to the United States Liberata Mulamula told editors and reporters at The Washington Times this week.

Wildlife groups estimate that 10,000 to 25,000 elephants are killed in Tanzania each year for their ivory tusks and the number of elephants in southern Tanzania has fallen by more than half. Much of the ivory is shipped illegally to Asian markets.

“The extent of poaching is very, very, very high,” John Salehe, director of the African Wildlife Foundation’s Maasai Steppe, said in a phone interview from Tanzania.

There has been sharp increase in elephant poaching over the past year, he said.

... more at the link

pretty good if it can save some endangered wildlife ... too bad they wouldn't be armed with missles to blow the bums up, away from the animals of course.

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Is this really a helicopter or possibly a drone ??? The picture of it flying sure looks more like a drone.

Dutch artist turns dead ostrich into a helicopter

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/dutch-artist-turns-dead-ostrich-helicopter-article-1.1414534

Bart Jansen, who had previously converted his dead cat into a similar remote-controlled device,' thought it would be funny to 'make fly a bird that can't' in his latest project.

August 1, 2013

The Dutch artist who turned a dead cat into a remote-controlled helicopter is back, and this time he's using an ostrich.

Bart Jansen made headlines in 2012 when he converted the corpse of his deceased puss Orville, who was killed by a car, into a chopper.

Now the barmy inventor has gone one step further by combining a dead ostrich with mechanical parts to create an "Ostrichcopter".

...

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Well, one of the points thats that I thought we discussed on this thread enough is that the borders between a RC helicopter (quadricopter) and a "drone" and "unmanned aircraft" and "A.I. driven" are pretty much confused.

This thingy:

http://www.bladehelis.com/350qx/

is sold as "RC controlled quadricopter", but has a "get home" function :w00t::yes::thumbup:

See, besides the official video:

this UNofficial one ;):

jaclaz

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Well I was just having some fun ... I guess if the "developer" or owner of the dead ostrich wants to call it a helicopter ... then that's what it is. I just thought in today's world ... calling it a flying "ostrich drone" would be more fitting or with the times !

...

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  • 2 weeks later...

The Drone Industry doesn't like the word "drone" ...

Drone industry gives journalists not-so-subtle hint — don’t use the word ‘drones’

August 14, 2013

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/aug/14/drone-industry-journalists-dont-use-word-drones/

“Drone” is a dirty word at this week’s drone industry convention in Washington.

The sector long has opposed use of the term, which, some argue, carries inherently negative connotations and doesn’t accurately describe the awesome technology seen in today’s unmanned vehicles.

Efforts to stop journalists from using the word “drone” have failed miserably over the years, but the industry hasn’t given up trying.

Inside the media room at the Washington convention center, the WiFi password is the not-so-subtle phrase “DontSayDrones.”

The word is defined in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary as “an unmanned aircraft or ship guided by remote control.”

At this point, removing the term from the American lexicon — or from future news stories — will be virtually impossible.

...

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So you also wondered why the word "Tiny" was changed ... since I started this topic, I was curious myself why the word was changed ... it wasn't me ... but it is interesting that you noticed. I can only take a stab at it, since I have only a few years of college ... it had to be someone with a PhD or two PhD's and is well versed in "large" words.

Diminutive is not a word that I use much in my daily survival on Earth, but it's always good to be more "educated" ... "Tiny" was from the article and was just fine with me in my day to day existence before the "big one" (asteroid) hits!

Am glad that someone also noticed and wondered why ... may have been a "secret" government hacking group that decided they didn't like the word "Tiny" ... heck, they could be changing other words and sentences without too much notice. I just think it's funny the way you posted your "observation" !

Edited by duffy98
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Is it a bird?

Is it a plane?

Is it a drone?

Two out of three :w00t::

http://martinjetpack.com/

What is the Martin Jetpack?

The Martin Jetpack is the world’s first practical jetpack. It consists of a purpose-built gasoline engine driving twin ducted fans which produce sufficient thrust to lift the aircraft and a pilot in vertical takeoff and landing, and enable sustained flight.

The Martin Jetpack is creating a new segment in the aviation and recreational vehicle markets. Initially designed with the leisure market in mind, commercial demand for the Martin Jetpack has seen the development programme focus on readying the product for use in a number of sectors including emergency response, defence and recreation, with numerous applications in each sector.

There is also an unmanned version planned which will lift more than most vertical take-off and landing unmanned aerial vehicles.

The Martin Jetpack can take off from a small space, so is easy to deploy anywhere. It is easy to learn to fly, has an automated hover function, and is expected to be able to be flown in reasonable weather conditions.

Safety is very important to the Martin Aircraft Company. The dedicated engine is being designed to an aviation industry standard. In addition, the Martin Jetpack is designed to protect the pilot, including a ballistic parachute and a crumple undercarriage.

p12-flying-1.jpg

jaclaz

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Well I can see it will be out of my price range and it's a little large to suit me ... I prefer the one that James Bond had in Thunderball !

James Bond used the Jetpack in 1965's Thunderball, to escape from gunmen after killing a SPECTRE agent.

http://www.007james.com/gadgets/jet_pack.php

The Jetpack

In the 1965 movie Thunderball, James Bond (Sean Connery) uses Q's Jetpack to escape from two gunmen after killing Jacques Bouvar, SPECTRE Agent No. 6. It was also used in the Thunderball movie posters, being the "Look Up" part of the "Look Up! Look Down! Look Out!" tagline. The Jetpack returned in the 2002 movie Die Another Day, in the Q scene that showcased many other classic gadgets. The Jetpack is a very popular Bond gadget and is a favorite among many fans due to its originality and uniqueness.

post-140095-0-75137900-1376559231.png

...

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Yep ;), but there a couple not-so-trifling differences, the "original" jetpack (which BTW was a - failed - project of the US military) are:

  1. time of flight limited to max around 30 seconds :w00t:
  2. use of a highly corrosive and dangerous "fuel", hydrogen peroxide :ph34r:

About prices, the Martin thingy is estimated at between US$ 70,000 and 100,000, whilst it's possible competitor, the JetPi Falcon is estimated at ariound US$ 200,000.

BTW a hydrogen peroxide fueled model from the same JetPi company was sold in 2007 for US$150,000

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jet_pack

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jet_pack#Jetpack_International

jaclaz

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  • 1 month later...

Aerospace Company Develops Drone That Can Fly Continuously For 5 Years

October 7, 2013

http://lasvegas.cbslocal.com/2013/10/07/aerospace-company-develops-drone-that-can-fly-continuously-for-5-years/

MORIARTY, N.M. (CBS Las Vegas) — An aerospace company has presented its design “atmospheric satellites” that fly at 65,000 feet and provide drone-like services such as live-mapping and monitoring narcotics trafficking.

Titan Aerospace recently offered the Solara series of such drones: which can fly continuously for nearly five years, charging its own battery high above commercial aircraft through the use of solar power. The larger Solara will be 60 meters wide and have the ability to carry about 250 pounds.

Cruising speed for the Solara is about 65 mph, and the unmanned craft will have an operating range of over 2.8 million miles.

... more information at the link.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Thanks for the drone article link ... that's an interesting story about how easy it is to hack a drone (at that time anyway ... that story is from 2010) ... the U.S. Navy helicopter seems to have failed on everything ... this part of the article: "To make matters worse, the drone failed to execute software instructions that would have forced it to return to its base. "

Can't find out what happened to the "stray" drone ... did they destroy it or finally get it to return to the base? You have to subscribe to read the rest of the article ... or did I miss another link?

Drone news has sort of dried up compared to the earlier part of the year.

Edited by duffy98
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