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Not a Bird or a Plane, it's Cyberbug

Posted June 25, 2007 10:03 AM

From Crave: The gadget blog:

If, on your next flight, you look out the window and see something that resembles a 15-inch, folded cellophane glider zipping by, don't call the USAF crank line. Chances are it's a newly certified Cyberbug. While unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) of all sizes swarm over Iraq, Afghanistan, Gaza and other war-torn venues, they are much more restricted in the skies above the United States, especially those that are experimental. For instance, the Cyberbug is the recipient of one of only 12 "Experimental Airworthiness Certificates" (EACs) issued by Federal Aviation Administration, which allows it to be flown in National Air Space, according to Cyber Defense Systems of St. Petersburg, Fla.

Read the whole article and watch the video

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#1

Re: Not a Bird or a Plane, it's Cyberbug

06/26/2007 12:40 PM

A rogallo kite, a fuselage and a model airplane engine are news? A little research will show dozens of these configurations and variations from back as far as the mid 1960's. Even hooking a camera on one was done at NASA's Dryden Research Facility at Edwards AFB back in 1974.

As to Experimental Airworthiness Certificates being rare ("only 12 EAC's issued"). I'll bet that's news to the Experimental Aircraft Association and others like me who own and fly homebuilt and kit aircraft. My airplane has an "Experimental Airworthiness Certificate" and so do about 23,413 others and we can all fly in "National Air Space" including the air space of other countries.

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#2
In reply to #1

Re: Not a Bird or a Plane, it's Cyberbug

06/26/2007 1:58 PM

It sounds like the alleged rareness of Experimental Airworthiness Certificates is for UAVs, not experimental aircraft in general. I hope that it is true to a degree because no pilot onboard means less situational awareness (not to mention potentially being quite small), and if I'm up there too I don't want to whack into somebody's out-of-control experiment either.

I guess it is one thing to be sure enough of something to get in it yourself, and another to launch something and watch telemetry readings go by. As a non-flier I am sure there are plenty of rules/limits I'm not aware of that could make UAVs safer than I think, but I'm ok with waiting for the tech to mature a little more.

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#3
In reply to #1

Re: Not a Bird or a Plane, it's Cyberbug

06/27/2007 10:33 PM

The video mentions that the Cyberbug has a noiseless engine. It has a flight time of an hour.

A good Stirling engine is noiseless BUT requires a large supply of fuel to run the engine for that long a time.

Anyone have any ideas??

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