Gizmodo
-
weaponry
Pentagon's New "Suburb Warrior" UAVs Promise to Try to Kill Slightly Fewer Civilians
The Pentagon's current crop of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are insanely powerful—the "Hellfire" is so named for a reason—but also fairly imprecise, often killing innocent, nearby civilians. The DoD's new UAVs hope to cut down on such casualties. More »
11,341
46
By Dan NosowitzComment by Max Finkel: tell me pentagon, why do we need to be killing people in suburbs again? 16 Responses | Other threads
-
airplanes
Secret US Military UFO Looks Manned
Looks like the US military UFO that was spotted over Afghanistan—which is not the Phantom Ray—may not be an unmanned aircraft after all. At least, that is what airplane expert Stephen Trimble thinks: More »
40,849
By Jesus DiazComment by espeewhyzee: Am I the only one that thinks it looks like a B-2 stealth bomber? [en.wikipedia.org] 12 Responses | Other threads
-
airplanes
UFO Sighted Over Afghanistan Is US Secret Airplane
Looks like the US military has a new secret aircraft. Either that or the Nazis are taking over the world again, because according to other photos this looks like the Luftwaffe's Go229 Flying Wing: More »
54,487
By Jesus DiazComment by gadam07: I'm not aircraft spotter, but that looks an awful lot like the B2 from the side, with the exception of... 13 Responses | Other threads
-
Spy Drones
The Draganflyer X6 UAV Police Edition
The Draganflyer X6 has been around for a bit now, but only recently have Canadian law enforcers begun using it to serve and protect. Here's the first look at these flying UAVs in uniform. More »
15,364
Comment by Nocturnus, the Online Bard: Awww, it's so cute with it's little, "Police," sticker, it's just like a big, mean helicopter. /sarcasm Actually doesn't look that imposing. 3 Responses | Other threads
-
machine takeover
Navy Says Combat Robots Multiplying Fast, Need "Battlefield Ethics" Pronto
A new report commissioned by the Office of Naval Research makes a grim statement about the increasing danger of combat-trained robots in the 21st century: "We are going to need a warrior code." More » -
weapons
Boeing Laser Avenger Shoots Down Incoming Enemy for the First Time
Boeing has shot down an incoming unmanned aerial vehicle using their new Laser Avenger system, which you can see in the picture. According to Boeing's VP for Directed Energy Systems, this is crucial: More »
28,327
By Jesus DiazComment by weatherman: "Small UAVs armed with explosives or equipped with surveillance sensors are a growing threat on the battlefield." Er, a threat to... 16 Responses | Other threads
-
aircraft
Insane Unmanned 'Mule' Drone Can Fly at 289MPH
This Mule unmanned aerial vehicle is huge, fast and crazy. It's just going through its first wind tunnel testing, but it might someday be hauling injured troops back to base with no pilot involved. More »
18,219
By Adam FrucciComment by Aqualero: How is this thing even aerodynamic? Is it just supposed to rely on pure down-thrust to keep it aloft?... 3 Responses | Other threads
-
gadgets
RC Helicopter Modded 45 Caliber Handgun Will Probably End In Disaster
This modded Bergen Gasser EB remote-controlled helicopter has a handgun on its nose. Yes. A handgun. And as you can see in the video, it can also be fired remotely.
84,200
By Jesus DiazComment by SinisterBill: I want mine to have dual 9mm. Seriously though, I'd like to know what kind of shell they were... 9 Responses | Other threads
-
-
military
Ripsaw MS1 Remote Gun Tank Races at 60MPH
After drones took over the skies, bots are now taking control over land. And looking at the Ripsaw MS1 gun tank running at 60MPH, it looks like war is going to get fierier, scarier, and more convenient than ever.
34,716
By Jesus DiazComment by DisposableInterloper: As much as I hate war machines, I can't help but admire this particular one's dog and pony show. I... 9 Responses | Other threads
-
gizmodo gallery
At Gizmodo Gallery: Draganflyer X6 UAV
Do you know what we are going to do while we are not playing with the Lego Death Star, waiting for the laser-etching machiine to tattoo one your gadgets for free and listening to our original Sony Walkman? I mean, apart from unsuccessfully calling for pizza in the Apple phone prototype while watching Frucci doing skits dressed up like a Japanese USB dork, previously recorded on the Red One and played back in the Panasonic 103-inch screen? Dodging the amazing Draganflyer X6, that's what. More » -
uavs
Unmanned Helicopter Flies Low, Dodges Obstacles With 3D Laser Camera
Engineers at Carnegie Mellon University have paired a 3D laser camera system, capable of mapping out terrain and obstacles in real time, with an unmanned Yamaha helicopter, creating an autonomous, incredibly low-flying UAV. Once loaded with preexisting topographical data, the sighted UAV is able to hug the ground at altitudes of 5m, fly around obstacles with just 3m of clearance and sense oncoming obstructions as small as 6mm. More »
3,044
By John HerrmanComment by KeepingTheForeName_GitEmSteveDave: There was some comedian, I think it was Ellen Degeneres, who did a whole bit about why planes need to... 3 Responses | Other threads
-
Robo Pigeons
UAV Courier Pigeons Deliver Medical Supplies, Sans Awkward Number Two's
Here's a great example of a robot originally developed for war being reused to help those in need. These tiny UAVs were once spy planes, but today they could deliver medical samples from isolated South African villages to labs for testing, or deliver emergency medicines and antidotes to those same locations. "The implications of these delays are huge for the individual and for the community," says Barry Mendelow, a project leader with the South African National Health Laboratory Service. "The patient is waiting for treatment, and in the meantime they could be passing on a very contagious disease." More »
3,488
By Jack LoftusComment by nuggetz: It's all fun and games until someone gets bombed by an HIV infested vial of blood. 2 Responses | Other threads
-
virtual reality
Iowa State Researchers Turn UAVs into Virtual Reality Simulator
Iowa State University researchers further blurred the line between wartime operations and video games this week when they revealed a "next generation control interface" for military UAVs. The $4.2 million system, currently under development at the university's Virtual Reality Applications Center, will provide ground control UAV stations with views of the drones, the surrounding terrain, and overall battlefield. If the program sees complete success, it will allow a single operator to control multiple UAVs, and monitor each of their on-board instruments, cameras and, naturally, weapons. The system does this using a combination of eye-tracking, voice control and interactive large screen displays—in other words, the kind of rig many uber geeks already use to play an online FPS. More »
5,384
By Jack LoftusComment by Shad: OUR UAV IS ONLINE! sorry, i just had to say it 2 Responses | Other threads
-
gliders
High-Flying Solar Power Zephyr Glider Breaks Own World Record With 3.5 Day Flight
Last we heard from the U.K.'s high altitude Zephyr glider, it was unofficially breaking the record for longest unmanned flight. That was back in 2007, when the record was a paltry 30 hours, and the Zephyr was able to manage a 54 hour flight, thanks to its solar powered batteries. On Friday, the Zephyr flew that and them some when it completed an 84-hour flight without issue. Military types are no doubt licking their lips at the news, as the plane was designed to support troops in the field with continuous surveillance and communication support from its perch on high at 60,000 ft. [Telegraph]
4,995
By Jack LoftusComment by superbryant: @Griffehpoo: yeah I know what you mean dude. Like Ambulances, and radar...... more » | Other threads
-
RISE OF THE MACHINES
First All-UAV Air Force Combat Wing Takes to the Skies Sans Pilots Over Iraq
Last week, the 174th Air Force Fighter Wing flew its last manned combat sortie over Iraq in F-16s, which have now been mothballed in favor of MQ-9 Reapers. This makes it the first combat-specific wing to ditch conventional aircraft entirely and toward a force of all unmanned robo-drones piloted from the ground. Welcome to the Skynet era, everyone! More »
12,362
By John MahoneyComment by CrashingOut: hmm, never thought of this before, but a turboprop (pt6?) is far more fuel efficient than any P&W or GE... more » | Other threads
-
military
Autonomous Guardium UGV Buggy Tirelessly Patrols Danger Zones So You Don't Have To
We already have plenty of robot sentries/killers in the sky, so Israeli defense firm G-NIUS felt it important to tip the balance a little over to the four-wheeled category (joining the DARPA Urban Challenge folks) with its Guardium UGV. Designed mostly for border patrol and recon missions, the Guardium's onboard telemetry can receive GPS coordinates for adapting its pre-programmed routes on the fly and avoid obstacles on its own. And judging by the video, it's pretty damn fast. More »
8,078
By John MahoneyComment by notwhoyouthink: Reminds me of flight of the navigator. That robotic food cart the kid sneaks out in. more » | Other threads
-
airplanes
How the Cormorant Submarine-to-Air Plane Works
After the START II—the second strategic weapons reduction treaty with the former URSS—was signed, the US Navy had to reconvert many of their Ohio-class nuclear submarines, giving new uses to their missile bays. They talked with Lockheed Martin about it, who came up with the idea of the Cormorant: a Halo-looking plane that launches from a submerged submarine, does its mission stealthily and then returns to the water, where it's retrieved by a robot. As the video shows, the idea looks out of a sci-fi movie: More »
30,674
By Jesus DiazComment by ldsdj: "Hi, I'm Bob Ruszkowski, and I think paper airplanes are the stuff of the FUTURE!" more » | Other threads
-
uavs
Curly-Winged UAV Will Leech From Power Lines, Fly Forever
The next version of the DevilRay unmanned aerial vehicle will feature the ability to dock to and recharge from power lines. Made by Defense Research Associates, the UAV uses down-curled wingtips to make such a low-speed maneuver possible. The four-foot wide, propeller-driven flying wing will use "inverse capped helix winglets" to take advantage of the wingtip wind vortexes that form during flight, providing stabilization in lieu of a tail. More »
13,410
By John HerrmanComment by GadgetPlayPissedSomebodyOff: @InsaneGain: @whiteknight: Hosers, hosers, please! We've had a lot of good natured ribbing back and forth lately between "the head... more » | Other threads
-
spying
Voyeur Security Drone is For Spying At Sea, Not at Your Neighbors
This helicopter mini-drone has been developed by the Navy to help it counter water-borne threats, despite its provocatively lurid name. Made by Lite Machines, the battery-powered Voyeur weighs just four pounds, stands 27-inches high and is actually designed to be suicidal. It's meant to hop out of sonobuoy tubes, patrol for threats for a while and then sink itself. Much more economical than helicopters or jets wasting fuel by attempting to ID surface targets (has the Navy's gas bill gone up at the moment too?) Plus it looks waaay more creepily sci-fi. [Danger Room]
3,929
By Kit EatonComment by macrumpton: Next week, the flying Fleshlight. Watch our famous flying team as they attempt a death defying airborne docking procedure, again... more » | Other threads
-
military tech
World's Smallest UAV Weighs 10 Grams, Flaps Like a Bird
AreoVironment is building the world's smallest UAV, called the Nano Air Vehicle, that has moving wings instead of a propeller or engine. DARPA has given the company $636,000 and six months to demonstrate an ultra-small UAV that will be under three inches long and under 10 grams. More »
10,041
Comment by Thunderdome: There was an article in my FlyRC mag a month or two ago about a guy that's made not one,... more » | Other threads
-
uav
Georgian UAV Films its Own Demise in Russian MiG Attack
Apparently the latest twist in an ongoing tussle over separatist Abkhazia, this video shows an "unarmed, umanned aerial vehicle" belonging to the Georgian Interior Ministry performing "basic reconnaissance over Georgian territory," according to the Georgians. Whether or not you believe the details in that statement, it's pretty hard to argue with what happens at around 30 seconds into the clip. A Russian MiG29 fighter aircraft shows up, looses off an air to air missile and blows the UAV out of the sky ... on camera. Though we imagine the political fallout is going to be messy, the sight of the missile streaking toward the lens is both chilling and awe-inspiring. [Danger Room]
13,368
By Kit EatonComment by iCanhasLs2plz: Sweet. When do we get involved? more » | Other threads
-
le tired
Predator Pilots Are Most Fatigued Military Flight Crews
According to a just-released Navy research paper, pilots of the MQ-1 Predator unmanned air vehicles are the most fatigued crews in the military, which seriously affects job performance, operational safety and family relationships. The most worrying thing is the reasons why and the lack of a clear solution: More »
19,550
By Jesus DiazComment by Evil J: Old post here, but the issue has been determined (in large part) as being from the "yo-yo" effect of going... more » | Other threads
-
biological warfare
ScanEagle Sniffs Biological Threats, Tells When You Have to Start Running
Boeing Phantom Works, the guys who get to do all the awesome planes and play with the alien ships at Area 51, have modified and successfully tested ScanEagle unmanned air vehicles to "intercept, detect and fly through simulated biological plumes or clouds to collect airborne agents." This means that the aircraft above will allow troops to locate biological threats faster, all without having to use trebuchets to launch goats into danger areas to test, which is the way they probably did it before (may not be as effective, but it could be a lot funnier. Fetchez la vache!) Full details after the jump. More »
7,140
By Jesus DiazComment by TheCapt: I'm sure the guys don't call these scaneagles... but probes..."Captain says he wants another probe sent out to look... more » | Other threads
-
uavs
Plasma Thruster Powered, Cigarette Sized, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles to Take to the Skies
Cigarette-sized unmanned aircraft, utilizing plasma thrusters for power, may sound like something out of the pits of science fiction's B-rate movie bin to us, but we aren't DARPA. That's right the guys at DARPA are actually working with boffins at Oklahoma State University to make the vision a reality. More »
20,790
By Haroon MalikComment by jtowntex: The final post actually brought some facts to the table. To put a finer point on it the "Red October"... more » | Other threads
-
drone crash
Robot Plane Nosedives Into Truck Full of Soldiers
There's little info available about this robot drone's ill-fated flight, but it appears that the UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) got confused and flew right into a truck full of soldiers. We can't be sure why this happened, but according the U.S. Defense Department, "A significant contributor to UAV mishaps is the experience level of UAV operators and maintainers." Was the soldier seen here piloting the remote-control craft? He seemed to have some sort of control device in his hands. There are plenty of R/C airplane pilots with astonishing skills—maybe the U.S. military could get some of those dudes signed up. [Danger Room and Naval Safety Center]
21,804
Comment by whootowl: @Vagabum: An YELLOW was squashed by the Warlock on the victim's jeep. more » | Other threads
-
world record
Hydrogen Fuel Cell-Propelled Airplane Breaks World Record
The Pterosaur might look to you like a typical model airplane, but it's a UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) powered by a highly efficient hydrogen fuel cell. It just broke a world distance record for hydrogen fuel cell micro UAVs, flying 78 miles—28 miles farther than its previous world record, set in 2006. You ain't seen nothing yet; its makers are saying it's just getting started. More »
10,072
Comment by macserv: @greysky: GM is all over that... Check out the GM Sequel and the Chevrolet Volt. Both coming soon.... more » | Other threads
-
katrina
Drones Arrive In New Orleans
Five unmanned aerial vehicles are headed to NOLA to search for survivors. The 8-foot long Silver Fox drones are equipped with thermal cameras that will help searchers find Katrina survivors. The UAVs were obtained from a private company—the feds still do not have their act together enough to deploy something like this, according to Pennsylvania Republican Rep. Curt Weldon, vice chairman of the House Armed Services and Homeland Security Committees. More »
- 1
1-27 of 27 for "Uav"
