Comments on: #1097: MultiDrone http://iotd.patrickandrews.com/2009/11/21/1097-multidrone/ Invention Of The Day Tue, 17 Jan 2012 14:11:42 +0000 hourly 1 By: Patrick http://iotd.patrickandrews.com/2009/11/21/1097-multidrone/comment-page-1/#comment-799502 Patrick Fri, 27 Nov 2009 10:29:39 +0000 http://iotd.patrickandrews.com/?p=5860#comment-799502 Actually Mik, <a href="http://www.patrickandrews.com/technology/index.php?id=24" rel="nofollow">swarming</a> is an old idea but the article you kindly cite doesn't talk about UAVs flying in a hard-docked formation ie as a single vehicle. Additional benefits of this include a) greatly simplified control for long sections of a mission and b) the potential to increase range as in a multi-stage rocket launch, where fuel-exhausted drones could be jettisoned before the payload engine even fires up. Actually Mik, swarming is an old idea but the article you kindly cite doesn’t talk about UAVs flying in a hard-docked formation ie as a single vehicle.

Additional benefits of this include
a) greatly simplified control for long sections of a mission and
b) the potential to increase range as in a multi-stage rocket launch, where fuel-exhausted drones could be jettisoned before the payload engine even fires up.

]]> By: mikhailfranco http://iotd.patrickandrews.com/2009/11/21/1097-multidrone/comment-page-1/#comment-799362 mikhailfranco Fri, 27 Nov 2009 08:40:42 +0000 http://iotd.patrickandrews.com/?p=5860#comment-799362 It's an old idea, DARPA et al are already working on it, e.g. from 2003 ... http://www.aviationtoday.com/av/issue/feature/UAVs-That-Swarm_1126.html The main reason is that you can have one remote pilot fly the whole swarm. At the moment it's one pilot for each UAV, there's no force multiplier unless you have swarming or autonomy - needless to say both options are being explored. Mik It’s an old idea, DARPA et al are already working on it, e.g. from 2003 …

http://www.aviationtoday.com/av/issue/feature/UAVs-That-Swarm_1126.html

The main reason is that you can have one remote pilot fly the whole swarm. At the moment it’s one pilot for each UAV, there’s no force multiplier unless you have swarming or autonomy – needless to say both options are being explored.

Mik

]]> By: Patrick http://iotd.patrickandrews.com/2009/11/21/1097-multidrone/comment-page-1/#comment-794416 Patrick Sun, 22 Nov 2009 11:23:52 +0000 http://iotd.patrickandrews.com/?p=5860#comment-794416 I thought this was interesting http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2009/11/can-killer-drones-land-on-carriers-like-human-top-guns/ I thought this was interesting
http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2009/11/can-killer-drones-land-on-carriers-like-human-top-guns/

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