$10M For Unmanned Aircraft That Can Perch Like a Bird

coondoggie writes "Unmanned aircraft maker AeroVironment got an additional $5.4 million to further develop a diminutive aircraft that can fly into tight spaces undetected, perch and send live surveillance information to its handlers. Last Fall, AeroVironment, got $4.6 million initial funding from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to develop the Stealthy, Persistent, Perch and Stare Air Vehicle System (SP2S), which is being built on the company's one-pound, 29-inch wingspan battery-powered Wasp unmanned system."

I can see it now..

[illumastorm]

Deploy: Lazorbeak. Mission: Scout Terrorists.

Transformers did it first

[Haoie]

And their robot bird could turn into a cassette tape too. For easy playback, no less.

How awesome was that?

Quoth the SP2S

[physburn]

Open here I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and flutter, In there stepped a stealthy spy plane of the sci-fi days of yore. Not the least obeisance made he; not a minute stopped or stayed he; But, with mien of lord or lady, perched above my chamber door - Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber door - Perched, and sat, and nothing more.

Quoth the SP2S, "nevermore" and nothing more.

How lifelike

[syousef]

Will it drop bird poop on your surveillance target? I mean how suspicious would a bird be if it didn't do that?

Re:Transformers did it first

[Anonymous Coward]

Yeah, but where is the Army going to get a Cassette Player these days?

[verb] like a [animal]

[Anonymous Coward]

Upon reading the title, my first reaction was that there was a meeting that went something like

• ... just send our spy planes to perch somewhere nearby and watch the terrorists.
• Uh, sir, spy planes don't "perch".
• Oh? Well, why not? I expect my spy planes to be able to perch. Like a bird. Somebody get on that.
• Err... yes, sir!

In the future I expect robots that can

• slither like a snake
• prowl like a lion
• fly like an eagle

Not man-rated?

[M0b1u5]

A 450 gram, 29-inch wing span, battery powered vehicle ISN'T MANNED???? WTF?

Sweet babby Jebus!

Power lines?

[Anonymous Coward]

Could perch on a power line and recharge its batteries for round the clock operations. Scary.

Re:How lifelike

[Tablizer]

Will it drop bird poop on your surveillance target? I mean how suspicious would a bird be if it didn't do that?

Yes, it'll leak battery acid, just like my @#*!& Dell laptop.
       

Re:Took twitter a bit too seriously

[Anonymous Coward]

He didn't say he wanted a spyplane that "perches", he said he wanted to "purchase" a spyplane!
Once the junior gets the order though, the big-pocketed war machinery lumbers into motion...

Why not a real bird?

[wlowe84]

Why can't they just train real birds to perch and randomly attach cameras or whatever to things. Swallows come to mind, I'd have to check. I don't remember if African or European would be best.

Re:How lifelike

[Xest]

I hope it shits napalm, just for the coolness factor.

Re:How lifelike

[Hognoxious]

White phosphorus powder mixed into some inert aqueous gel would make delayed action incediary bird turds. I can't think of anything awesomer.

Re:Why not a real bird?

[3waygeek]

And maybe they could carry this camera [f295.org].

Re:Unmanned SP2S

[that IT girl]

In order to maintain airspeed velocity, a manned SP2S would need to beat its wings 43 times every second, am I right?

Maybe. Is it carrying a coconut?

Re:[verb] like a [animal]

[snerdy]

In the future I expect robots that can

• fly like an eagle

They would fly like an eagle, to the sea, fly like an eagle and let their spirits carry them?

Re:Transformers did it first

[HTH NE1]

Might as well have optimus prime turn into a horse and cart.

No, he'd just turn into a horse. When going back to robot mode, the cart would disappear into the background until he needed to go back into beast-- er... vehicle mode.

The holographic human he uses to whip himself into running is just disturbing.