Cheap UAVs. No there's a concept.
Posted on 07/24/2006 7:39:13 PM PDT by Reaganesque
An unmanned aircraft made from "printed" parts rather than traditional machine-tooled components has been unveiled at the Farnborough Air Show, UK.
Developed at Lockheed Martin's top-secret "Skunk Works" research facility in Palmdale, California, US, the Polecat unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is a 28-metre flying wing, weighing four tonnes. It was designed in part to test cheaper manufacturing technologies.
The Skunk Works is no stranger to advanced technology: its successful designs include the ultra-high-altitude U2 spyplane, the SR71 Blackbird - a spyplane which can travel at more than three times the speed of sound - and the radar-invisible F117 stealth fighter.
But speed and stealth performance are not everything: cost matters too. And since UAVs tend to crash more often than piloted planes, the race is on among UAV makers to make them cheaper. The Skunk Works thinks a technique called 3D rapid prototyping, or "3D printing", is the best way to lower costs.
(Excerpt) Read more at newscientist.com ...
Cheap UAVs. No there's a concept.
Imagine the applications in things like prosthetics for amputees and so forth. This is cool.
Aerospace ping
Ping for the Future Tech List.
Could happen, but not likely. Our PC fighter jocks are very professional. The problem lies in spatial reference. Its very difficult to assess depth and spatial references on monitors.
In addition, there is no true "peripheral" vision when flying electronically. The cells that control our peripheral vision are much more sensitive than our focused vision.
On top of this you are dealing with a limited view. Usually limited to the direction a camera is pointing in. If you have the camera view focused in a direction divergent from the direction of the aircraft, it can be horrendeously disorienting.
Most of these guys are x fighter jocks, super-professionals, and concentrate intently. So I wouldn't be suprised to see them reaching for the ejection handles under their office chairs when they loose control of one of these UAVs.
That may be true for the current generation of PC fighter jocks. . . but the next generation are currently playing Unreal Tournament, Prey, and similar. . .
The reflexes for computer flight are different from that of physical flight.
And the days of the fighter jock as we know him are coming to an end. . . . in 30 years, he or she will be pimply and horn-rimmed, but absolutely deadly in the air. .
"Someone drops into the cubicle and they both walk down to the break room together or whatever. Naw, that couldn't happen, could it?"
No Problem .... simply click and control is sent to that guy in the call center in Bombay ...
"The cells that control our peripheral vision are much more sensitive than our focused vision. "
The sensors and computers that will be doing the targeting are going to be much more sensitive then eyeballs.
The eyes will only be handling the rough stuff anyway.
Gonna have to use that. ;-)
Orville and Wilbur would be more than just a tad surprised at how far their toy has developed.
If it's a secret plane, the NY Times will print it.
I stole him; you might as well steal him too. :^)
Heh heh heh
I think you're probably correct.
"Orville and Wilbur would be more than just a tad surprised at how far their toy has developed."
Blows my mind sometimes. A friend's grandkid is 3 years old. I was thinking this morning of the changes in technology he's going to see over the next 80+ years.
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