Eye On You, clips, delfly ii, robot spycam, robots, spycam, video

DelFly II, Just the First of a Long Line of Tiny Flying Robot Spycams

This is not just some radio-controlled insect-like aircraft, no sirree. This is the DelFly II, a robotic dragonfly spy, developed by robot jockeys at the Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands. While government agencies are not admitting to using such things, you can see how this hovering electro-insect with a camera on board might come in handy for some serious snooping. The current model weighs just 16.04 grams, can fly for 15 minutes at 30mph or can hover for eight minutes, and has vision-based stabilization for its onboard camera. Check out another video of the DelFly II in flight, after the jump.

Imagine this technology miniaturized even further; its makers are now developing the DelFly Nano with a wingspan of just two inches. Hey, that's nearly invisible. Evildoers who hate America will think it's just a large insect spying into their bedroom windows. [BotJunkies and Danger Room, via bb Gadgets]

10:11 AM on Fri Nov 2 2007
By Charlie White
9,916 views
14 comments

Comments

DustyButt at 10:18 AM on 11/02/07
Reply by Email
*

I wonder how loud it is?

Can it be equiped with tranquilizer or poisoned darts?

Hmmmm...

Excellent.
DustyButt at 10:22 AM on 11/02/07
Reply by Email
*

Oh...

and -10 pts for the soundtrsck. There's a fine line between "dramatic" and "cheesy"
Stang70Fastback at 10:29 AM on 11/02/07
Reply by Email
*

Hey, I happen to like that song...

... thought I'm not sure I would have chosen it as the soundtrack for THIS particular video.
DesignStar at 10:41 AM on 11/02/07
Reply by Email
*

Oddly enough, incidents of these things being used to "observe" political rallies in the NYC and DC areas was reported on a few weeks ago...There was no conclusive evidence in either direction that they sightings were actually of some kind of drone, but plenty of people definitely observed something. Was it these guys or maybe something similar? Check out the Washington Post article...

[www.washingtonpost.com]
DustyButt at 10:51 AM on 11/02/07
Reply by Email
*

@Stang70Fastback: exactly.
Y2KGTP at 10:59 AM on 11/02/07
Reply by Email
*

Candyman.....Candyman....Candyman....
Dramatism at 11:02 AM on 11/02/07
Reply by Email
*

Great. We damn ourselves just a little more each day, don't we?
vagrant at 11:03 AM on 11/02/07
Reply by Email
*

The song is "Furious Angels" by Rob Dougan. I remember it well as I re-edited footage from the Matrix Reloaded trailer, removing all the spoken clips and keeping the song in the forefront, for his manager at the time.

It's sort of craZy how often that song is used in so many different countries for various things. It's sampled quite a bit.
Erzengel at 11:06 AM on 11/02/07
Reply by Email
*

"Evildoers who hate America will think it's just a large insect spying into their bedroom windows."

The hot blonde next door its gonna think exactly the same.
When can i order one? Please?
gizmodohomepage at 11:54 AM on 11/02/07
Reply by Email
*

Incredible agility, long flight times, hovering capable, crappy video, 2 payments of $19.95.
demonwolf at 01:07 PM on 11/02/07
Reply by Email
*

i'll take two
TheAstronot at 01:28 PM on 11/02/07
Reply by Email
*

Wheres the HellFire missile attachment?
smeee at 01:30 PM on 11/02/07
Reply by Email
*

disposable attack bugs?..seriously all you need to do is attach a short range air powered dart, the firing mechanism goes off and destroys the uav...even its kinda creepy.
Buji at 01:55 PM on 11/02/07
Reply by Email
*

Didn't I just read something the other day about how a bunch of protesters in Washington D.C. had reported seeing giant bug like robots flying and "spying" on the crowd?