CyPhy’s new Pocket Flyer hexacopter-drone fits in a pocket, weighs less than three ounces (about as much as a Kiwi fruit) is un-jammable, remote hack-proof, yet can fly for two hours AND deliver HD video. What’s its secret? A 250-foot string of micro-filament, thinner than fishing line, that keeps it powered much longer than its battery constrained counterparts.
CyPhy is part of the US Air Force’s Rapid Innovation Fund, which is designed to use the flexibility of small businesses to come up with battlefield solutions quickly. CEO Helen Greiner was explained by behind the tether, saying, “That’s about enough time to go into a building and find a person, and then ‘Oh, our robot went dead.’ ” This means soldiers can take their time searching a building, or look for deadly Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs).
I eagerly await the civilian version invading our world, getting tangled in my hair, and strangling me with the micro-filament. (Photo: CyPhy Works)
