Robot Spy
The robot spy hovering unobtrusively yet ominously in the background, small robot spy or remote observers are staples of science fiction. The robot spy form they take varies considerably, but rarely are they any larger than a basketball. They fly, hover and robot spy perform amazing maneuvers-all to keep their usually unsuspecting targets in sight.This robot spy in the sky of science fiction could be keeping an eye on your neighborhood before long. With roots in expensive military intelligence-gathering drones, smaller, cheaper versions have potential for more down-to-earth applications. Advances in materials science, improvements in battery performance, and smaller, more efficient electric motors have helped create a vehicle that can operate in modern everyday life.
The robot spy platform for such an aerial surveillance system could be an airplane or a helicopter or even an ornithopter. (Yes, people are already working on a mechanical pigeon spy.) In fact, all it takes is a trip to your local hobby store for a radio-controlled flyer. Attach a miniature camera on the front and a video screen on the controller and voila! You are now in the aerial surveillance business.
While each type of vehicle has its advantages, the helicopter looks to be the best candidate to serve a wider range of applications. Its ability to hover and easily change direction and speed are major advantages that favor the helicopter platform. The robot spy or helicopter-based spy will be the type which hovers and darts silently and effectively - like the robotic spotters that populate those worlds of science fiction.
A Convergence of Technologies
The key to making these flying surveillance devices a reality is the miniaturization of cameras and other sensors so they can be put on a platform of this size. The video camera - needed for guidance as well as for actual surveillance - is the centerpiece of these miniature drones. The refined capability of modern remote control systems that has resulted from electronics advancements is also of major importance. The precise maneuverability available in the current crop of radio-controlled vehicles makes this concept workable, reducing the risk of collision in crowds, between buildings, or in traffic. Police in the UK currently are evaluating drones that can track criminal suspects, and even squirt them with a tracking fluid!
Using radically different designs than their toy counterparts, these devices provide a more stable and durable platform for their payloads. Their design gives them an unusual and futuristic OK, science fiction-type look. They have features like GPS assist for navigation, shielding against electromagnetic interference, onboard flight recorders and more. For special duty they have infrared and near infrared cameras available as options. Plus these drones (robot spy) can go where it is difficult or impossible to place a human observer.
