Is it a drone?

This might be an interesting project!

**LINK**

Certainly a feat of engineering and certainly a working model.

Might befuddle the Gatwick look-outs!

Great stuff

MichaelG.

???

Brian

.

The video, not NDIY's Gatwick comment.

MichaelG.

Wow. Just wow. Now, how long until someone builds one big enough to carry a human pilot on board?

I think that is brilliant but any airport officials watching would be horrified. How would they know if it was a bird or a drone ?

Human carrying drones? Well sort of, but by definition if it carries a pilot it isn't a drone.

.

Neil,

I believe that Hopper was using 'one' in reference to an ornithopter.

MichaelG.

Ingenious design and excellent engineering.

Dave W

As a demonstration that its engineer(s) have a thorough working understanding of bird flight, it's outstanding. Next bit will be to learn the fold the wings away on landing.

Not sure how far it advances any rational interests though. If it's developed for military reconnaissance use, one result may be that any ground-based campaign will want to wipe out bird life in its areas of interest, to prevent covert enemy surveillance.

Exactly. It's been a dream of mankind since ancient times and would be so much more fun than a fixed wing  microlight etc.

Edited By Hopper on 04/02/2019 10:07:04

Brilliant, stunning, amazing plus any other superlatives you may care for!! The really telling part is towards the end of the video when a couple of real birds arrive to check out the 'opposition'. They, quite quickly, accept that it is just another bird and go off about their business. Years ago I used to slope soar model gliders near a rookery in the Andover area. As soon as I launched the rooks would come out to fight and made life as difficult as possible. The other point re. the ornithopter is the tolerances he must have worked to plus the design stress calculations - quite mind boggling and surely an enterprise that should get enthusiastic research support.

rgds

Bill

The birds for me said it all, if they were happy then its perfect.

Martin P

One wonders if he had a moment of trying to fly the wrong 'bird'.

or a swimming penguin "drone" perhaps?
**LINK**

They are already being used at airports to scare other birds away, not a in seagull form but as a mock peregrine falcon that perfectly mimics the falcon's flight, glide and attack characteristics. A brief clip can be seen here.

Martin W

Were he still flying commercially today I'm sure Chesley Sullenberger would be grateful for its assistance.

One of the real 'uns looked quite big and buzzardy. Perhaps it decided the thing just looked too uncertain a prospect to try to kill and eat it...

Interesting.

I bought a flapping bird toy from China. About £10 and includes radio, motor flapping mechanism etc. Works but not as good as the Japanese effort. Thought I might have a go at using the bits to make a better one. The Dellfly project looks interesting www.dellfly.nl/nimble and includes links to code and control system hardware.

so many interesting things to do and so little time.