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back to article Boffins claim breakthrough in hovering robothopter experiments

Brainboxes in New York say they have made progress on one of the knottiest conundrums facing the technology of humankind today: that of constructing mechanical ornithopters able to fly – and specifically to hover – as well as insects can. This wouldn't be of use at the scale of today's manned aircraft: nobody's that interested …

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  1. Thomas 18
    Black Helicopters

    Deadly swarm bots...

    approved for mass production.

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    1. FrankAlphaXII
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      Dont give DARPA any ideas. Their Mad Scientists would foam at the mouth for a chance to develop deadly swarm bots.

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  2. Darren Barratt
    WTF?

    C'mon scientists, get your priorities sorted

    Medical nanobots = good.

    Space Stations and moon bases = good.

    Cure for cancer = ++good.

    Water Powered Car = good.

    Jetpacks = good.

    Deadly robo-wasp swarm = No. Sort your priorities!

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    1. Richard 81
      Reply Icon

      Yes and no

      While I agree that death bringing is hardly a noble application of technology, don't forget that lots of today's bread and butter technologies came from military research. These tiny flying kill-bots might well become valuable tools for the police, or for searching collapsed buildings in rescue operations.

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      1. Steve Brooks
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        "or for searching collapsed buildings in rescue operations." Collapsed buildings? This is an oprnithoptoer not a mini mole crafted of unobtanium and with tiny teeny little laser on the front, get your meme's right!.

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      2. Ben 50
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        Boffin

        Military Tech

        Give the civilian research community the same budget as the military research community - access to the same resources - and the freedom to research what they like. Then compare the results.

        Which do you think will produce the most interesting base technology, and value for money?

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        1. Richard 81
          Reply Icon

          @Ben 50

          I agree with you there. Still, that doesn't mean that this isn't an interesting technology with a wide array of non-lethal applications.

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        2. JJSmith1950
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          civilian tech vs military tech...

          The civilian research community ARE given the same budget. Government provides a brief to a group of civilian companies that specialize in a particular field of technology. Government pays for the R&D, then awards the contract to the company that comes up with the best solution.

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      3. Mike VandeVelde
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        Terminator

        "valuable tools for the police, or for searching collapsed buildings in rescue operations."

        Seems like the mantra of a developing Skynet. Don't worry meatbags, these new additions to the hive are only being created for your benefit.

        Given how many earthquakes there are, and then how many buildings collapse in those earthquakes, and how many of those buildings have people in them, and how many of those people become trapped, and then how many of those trapped people could possibly be saved, you could count the lives saved annually by these new tiny flying kill-bots in the handfuls, maybe. Meanwhile on the battlefield...

        Also reminds me of the old copyright saw: just because there are possible non infringing legitimate uses for your technology, that doesn't mean that it is good / allowed to exist.

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  3. ravenviz Silver badge
    Coat

    I for one

    welcome our robo-swarm flapcopter overlords.

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  4. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    0/2 Flying

    Regardless of the century, plane, or species, developing artificers never fail to invent the ornithopter.

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    1. That Awful Puppy
      Reply Icon

      I loved that little bastard

      Great first line defense for slow decks, I always thought.

      Fortunately, I got a life later on.

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  5. That Awful Puppy

    Ahem

    "... nobody's that interested in building mighty 'thopter-craft to replace choppers or jets."

    Muad'Dib would like a word with you.

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    1. hplasm
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      Pirate

      Me too

      I would like a mighty 'thoptercraft!

      How else can I get down from the most powerful weapon in the universe?

      Yrs,

      Stanley H Tweedle

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  6. earl grey
    Facepalm

    I can't wait

    If this gets working I should have my flying car before i'm 90...ish.

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    1. FrankAlphaXII
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      Coat

      And the Jetpack?

      Well what about your Jetpack, Earl? I still dont see one out there worth the name.

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  7. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Patent Pending ... ?

    I don't think so!

    there is prior art/tech as demonstrated by our intergalatic visitors who have been flying over scotland and wales/south west during the 70's-80's in giant pyramid shaped craft that quietly HUMMED!!!

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    1. hplasm
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      Happy

      poo!

      Flying middens!

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  9. 2cent

    Thinking out of balance

    Shifting center of gravity upward decreases response time to corrective measure.

    Who would of thought.

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