Micro storm-studying vehicles could ride hurricane's path
A new unmanned drone being developed at the University of Florida could potentially navigate through a hurricane, gathering data on it's speed and path, according to technology website Gizmag.
The prototype, which resembles that of a small bird, would be programmed from a laptop to take-off and fly into a hurricane. It would then get caught up in the hurricane's wind and using a transmitter, gather and send information.
The miniature airplanes, weighing as much as an iPod nano, could save energy by switching off its flight mechanism as it swirls in the storm. Each plane only costs about $250 to build, which would minimize risks, as it is not likely that all of the devices would successfully complete the trip.
Florida's Professor, Kamran Mohseni, said that the data retrieved from the drone would outweigh the cost of losing it. Each plane would be complete with a forward looking camera, acoustic transmitters, a receiver module, squid thrusters and a propeller.
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The prototype, which resembles that of a small bird, would be programmed from a laptop to take-off and fly into a hurricane. It would then get caught up in the hurricane's wind and using a transmitter, gather and send information.
The miniature airplanes, weighing as much as an iPod nano, could save energy by switching off its flight mechanism as it swirls in the storm. Each plane only costs about $250 to build, which would minimize risks, as it is not likely that all of the devices would successfully complete the trip.
Florida's Professor, Kamran Mohseni, said that the data retrieved from the drone would outweigh the cost of losing it. Each plane would be complete with a forward looking camera, acoustic transmitters, a receiver module, squid thrusters and a propeller.
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TomoNews is your daily source for top animated news. We've combined animation and video footage with a snarky personality to bring you the biggest and best stories from around the world.
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Twitter @tomonewsus http://www.twitter.com/TomoNewsUS
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