Re:Flying robots: nature inspires next generation design
by fit2rule on Friday May 23, 2014 @03:22AM
(#7788323)
The killer app for drones? Teaching kids to build drones.
For $1000, you can get enough parts to build 10 drones. You need the know-how, of course, but that doesn't cost much but a bit of interest.
As a long time builder of flying machines, I've got to say that the commercialization of this hobby in the form of the DJI Phantom and its ilk is really some sort of pity. Building a drone out of parts that are commonly available takes but a little bit of research, some careful attention, a free afternoon or two .. and voila! Flying thing!
You might be surprised at just how easy it is to build a flying plane out of nothing much more than a few bits of cardboard, an old cell-phone battery, a stick or two, an old DVD-drive motor .. until you do it. Then you'll wonder why you spent $1000 on something that is very, very easy to destroy almost immediately.
For $1000, you can get enough parts to build 10 drones. You need the know-how, of course, but that doesn't cost much but a bit of interest.
As a long time builder of flying machines, I've got to say that the commercialization of this hobby in the form of the DJI Phantom and its ilk is really some sort of pity. Building a drone out of parts that are commonly available takes but a little bit of research, some careful attention, a free afternoon or two .. and voila! Flying thing!
You might be surprised at just how easy it is to build a flying plane out of nothing much more than a few bits of cardboard, an old cell-phone battery, a stick or two, an old DVD-drive motor .. until you do it. Then you'll wonder why you spent $1000 on something that is very, very easy to destroy almost immediately.
(Purist: build, fly, crash, build ..)