Posted 06.03.2011 at 11:52 am
14 Comments
Microdrone Safari
via YouTube
Regular readers of this page are all pretty familiar with the latest generation of flying robots, from tennis-playing quadcopters to surveillance hummingbirds. But zebras, it’s fair to say, are not. So what happens when a drone buzzes a herd?
The German surveillance bot maker Microdrones took one of their md4-1000 quadcopters to the Masai Mara region of the Serengeti, and used it to capture video of all sorts of African wildlife. Here’s a preview of what their drone saw.
This is apparently a production for TBS Television Japan, according to Microdrones’ YouTube feed. It looks like “Planet Earth” but with robots.
Small surveillance drones are great for entering areas where humans can’t or shouldn’t tread, and African wildlife preserves are no exception. The creatures even seemed pretty unfazed by the hovering intruder, which could be less invasive than a mud-caked Land Rover. But it would have been even cooler if one of the elephants grabbed it with a trunk.
[via Facebook, IEEE Spectrum]
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Hmm, I don't remember the Serengeti being in Kenya. Cool footage and all but I expect better from Popular Science...at least a correction even if you got the info from somewhere else...PLEASE at least KNOW your geography on where Serengeti is...
Masai Mara is the northern continuation of the Serengeti National Park located in south western Kenya. Its like if we had a different name for the parts of Yellowstone that aren't in Wyoming, but in Montana.
short video
"The creatures even seemed pretty unfazed by the hovering intruder,"
You mean like when those Zebras got spooked and started running away? Seriously, I'd love for someone to invent a camera that doesn't startle the animals.
Oh, and LOL @ the dramatic music in the video. It's a drone, not a space shuttle.
@Um yea - You might want to do a little research before you start insulting others.
yeah they seemed scared of it. not incredibly loud but easily visible. they should at least paint it with camouflage colors.
How would you camouflage something in the air?
paint it sky blue.
it won't help the sound, but it should make it hard to see.
@laurielou862...i guarantee a land rover taking that vidoe would have created a stampede, how about being less negative, cool to see a quad/copter being put to good use
What shade of blue is sky blue? The color of the sky changes every minute, of every day, and varies with clouds, humidity, etc... maybe it could be painted anti-reflective clear.
Bushman 1: Hey, you see that?
Bushman 2: Yeah, what is that?
Both: OMG!!! UFOS!!!!!!!!!!!!
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@shutterpod
lol yeah painting it with anti-reflective coating would trick the animals, but a metallic coating would trick them into thinking that its the sun.
Kenyan Wildlife safari is the best part of travel. There are number of people visit here to see this open wildlife safari. I am interested in such type of adventure travel. In India also there are number of wildlife travel places are there which will provide you the amazing experience same like Kenyan Wildlife safari.
www.traveladda.com/motelchandan/