View single post by Doofus
 Posted: Mon Jun 19th, 2006 01:09 am
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Doofus



Joined: Mon Mar 27th, 2006
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 Well, it seems that Yamaha (the Motorcycle Guyz in Japan) got a (Japanese) government contract to design/build a R/C helicopter that could be used to spray crops - among other things ... It seems that the folks in Tokyo were/are worryin' about the shortage of farm help "in the burbs" and they want to help out ...

I think they succeeded quite well ...




Then, to continue our little fairey-tale, it seems the DARPA boyz in the Pentagon heard about this thing and asked the "beanies" down at Georgia Tech to "improve on the utility" of the craft" (or somethin' like that!) ...




The GT Guyz came up with a design that's COMPLETELY AUTONOMOUS (hands-off pre-programmed mission "statement") while allowing the thing to avoid mid-air "hazards."  Believe it or not, the GTMAX can be told to fly over "here and there" (via GPS coordinate, I'll bet), look for a certain building, and, then, fly around the building looking for a certain window.  When you see it, snap some pix and, then, c'mon home ... (if it doesn't make it "back to the nest", too bad, but the pix will have already been received "real-time" via radio - spread-spectrum/UHF I imagine!)












I'll bet the "final" resolution of the images this thing can collect will be a LOT higher than what's depicted on the GT website ...







Finally, I understand the GTmax is now also fully capable of air-to-air (formation) flying 'n aerial photography.  I think this device will DEFINITELY be used for drug/smuggling interdiction, nuclear power plant "guard duty" as well as US border surveillance and detection and counter-insurgency operations in Iraq and Afghanastan. 




___________




PS:  At one time, model airplanes were "my passion" ... 



 



Like this 1/3-scale model hand-built by a RC-Connoisseur named of Ray Williams in upstate NY!  Check out his website at:  http://modelrotaryflyer.tripod.com/avro.htm










Now I spend my $$$ on watches ...  

Last edited on Mon Jun 19th, 2006 01:31 pm by Doofus