Did You Hear That?: Robot Spy Hummingbird
This is a robotic hummingbird designed by DARPA to fly around and capture audio/video on reconnaissance missions (not to be confused with renaissance missions, which usually involve slaying dragons and saving a princess).
AOL News reports it's just a research project for now, but the battery-powered drone has a front-facing camera and can fly for up to eight minutes at a time.
It has taken five years to build and cost $4 million, per the Los Angeles Times, but the new model of the Nano Hummingbird drone really looks like a bird flying around. It would allow the military to literally drop a bird at a window ledger for reconnaissance purposes."You can use these things anywhere, put them anyplace, and the target will never even know they're being watched," said defense expert Peter W. Singer.
"...and the target will never even know they're being watched". Sure, PROVIDED THEY DON'T SEE THE FAKE ROBOTIC BIRD PERCHED ON THEIR WINDOW SILL. It's just like trying to hide in the women's locker room -- you're invisible until somebody realizes the water fountain is masturbating.
Hit the jump for a worthwhile video of the lil' hummer in action.
Nano Hummingbird Spy Drone Being Developed By Pentagon [huffingtonpost]
and
DARPA-Commissioned Robotic Hummingbird Takes to the Air [technabob]
Thanks to Kristi, MannaFromKevin, chris and Zackie O, who invented spy penguins years ago but DARPA didn't care because they don't give a shit what's happening in Antarctica.
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