Who hasn’t taken a second to think about the ways in which computers have changed, and will continue to change, our lives? It’s a tired topic, but I was thinking about the unnoticed ways in which growing computer power (in shrinking package sizes) is continuing to change things. That reminded me of this thing I find cool: QuadCopters.
I’ve always found remote control cars, planes, and helicopters cool, but QuadCopters (and related variants) take this to a new level for me. They are nice remote control helicopters (with four rotors to make them easier to fly than traditional helicopters), but with a twist. Most of these QuadCopter kits include advanced computing power in the form of Arduino boards. Arduino is a topic for another time, but for now, consider it a cheap open-source computer (like the Raspberry Pi). So with the advanced battery technology available today, small onboard computers, and open source hardware and software design, it is possible to build your very own helicopter drone for less than $1,000. Heck, you might even be able to do it for less than $500, I’m not sure.
To see some of the cool stuff that people are doing with this toy/platform, check out DIY Drones. With this technology, people are creating autonomous aircraft that can fly to various waypoints (programmed from a groundstation) and take photos and video (amongst other things). I’ll admit that this could be a bit creepy, but I still find it cool. And I’d be remiss for not mentioning that you can pick up something like this at Amazon for $300. The Parrot AR.Drone has built-in video capture, and you control it with your cell phone.
Personal Learning 