SoylentNews is people
SoylentNews
Drones could become useful for surveillance and remote monitoring in many industries, and perhaps one day will even ferry the latest Amazon order to your front door. But there's one big limiting factor: drones can stay in the air for only so long on a charge.
Not the latest model developed by the Boston-based drone maker CyPhy Works, though. Called Parc, the drone can perform aerial surveillance indefinitely, using a "microfilament" that transmits power and data. Of course the fact that it's tethered means the drone can't travel very far. CyPhy Works expects it to be used for reconnaissance or as a communications relay.
Wind?
This discussion has been archived.
No new comments can be posted.
This Surveillance Drone Never Needs to Land
|
Log In/Create an Account
| Top
| 10 comments
| Search Discussion
The Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not responsible for them in any way.
Confess your sins to the Lord and you will be forgiven;
confess them to man and you will be laughed at.
-- Josh Billings
(Score: 3, Interesting) by anubi on Sunday November 15 2015, @09:23AM
If one is going to tether, why are they messing with the power to keep the thing aloft? How about a mini-dirigible?
Motors to propel and steer, but do not have to provide the constant power to fight gravity.
Extra power will only demand a heavier tether. Seen the power draw on quadricopters?. If we are talking airspeed for lift as in airplane mode, what is the aerodynamic drag for the tether?
I could even see a little pressurized vessel on board for pumping helium in and out of for buoyancy trim.
Just my thoughts on this thing...
"Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." [KJV: I Thessalonians 5:21]