Autonomous Blimp Safer than Quadcopter Drones

Discussion in 'Intelligence & Machines' started by danshawen, Jun 21, 2017.

  1. danshawen Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    3,951
    http://spectrum.ieee.org/automaton/...-the-friendliest-kind-of-indoor-flying-robots

    Wasting no energy at all to stay aloft, these new lighter than air drones developed at Georgia Tech seem perfectly suited to noiselessly following people around, even if they are not exactly what you would term inconspicuous, or immune to the fate of runaway kites due to the deleterious navigational challenges of high winds if deployed outdoors.

    Or, if you are going for a quick getaway from small arms fire or terrorist activity, perhaps it could autonomously hide and later deploy a homing beacon and retractable sail when sufficient winds to carry it away became available, or have the ability to deflate the balloon and deploy it as a parchute once it is secured a safe distance from hostile territory.

    This is a nice bit of technology, and I can see that it has many intriguing possibilities.

    Before reading this article, I had no idea that quadcopter battery life necessary to remain aloft was so short, measured in minutes, not hours, but it makes perfect sense.
     
    Last edited: Jun 21, 2017
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  3. spidergoat pubic diorama Valued Senior Member

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    Sails don't work on balloons, they always move with the wind.
     
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  5. sideshowbob Sorry, wrong number. Valued Senior Member

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    Everybody loves a blimp.
     
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