Claw arms hardly make a drone look less terrifying, but they could make it more useful. That's the promise of Prodrone's latest hoverbot, the snappily-named PD6B-AW-ARM.
This claw-handed drone can fly up to 6 km per hour and stay in the air for 30 minutes. Using its two five-axis robotic arms, it can lift a whopping 44 pounds, which is the equivalent of a four-year-old child. The Japanese drone-maker says its eerie new toy will have a range of industrial uses, from lifting cargo to cutting cables -- but could also drop a lifesaving buoy.
Perhaps most striking is the drone's ability to perch, crow-like, on a railing -- using its claw arms to balance itself. Check that out in the promo video... , and excuse us while we install anti-claw metal sheeting on our windows and rucksacks.
Nanny drones could snatch small children about to fall in the pool or run into traffic.
(Score: 2) by opinionated_science on Thursday September 15 2016, @01:15AM
How about using them for the school run - drop the child on the classroom dock ;-)
What could go wrong?!!!!
(Score: 3, Funny) by wonkey_monkey on Thursday September 15 2016, @12:54PM
Or better still, put a giant funnel on the roof, barcode each child and they can be delivered straight to their seat.
The kids'd love it!
systemd is Roko's Basilisk