Drones come in all shapes and sizes, but when most of us hear the word ‘drone’ we think of a tiny un-manned helicopter whizzing around high up in the sky. BionicOpter is here to set the record straight.
BionicOpter is a dragonfly-shaped drone. It flies just like a real dragonfly using its four wings and long tail to effortlessly swim through the air with the wings beating up to twenty times per-second. The body, itself, measures in at 17.3 inches long. This makes it a very tiny drone. Check out a video of BionicOpter in action below:
What BionicOpter means to us ethically may vary depending on your opinion of drones. BionicOpter could be great for swooping in to small enclosures to view something difficult to see, such as if someone is trapped in an unreachable place that people can’t venture to.
On the other hand, BionicOpter is so small and quiet that it could potentially blend into a natural surrounding and spy on unsuspecting people. The potential can be as dangerous or helpful as your mind may let it be.
But for now, BionicOpter is another example of where drone technology is going. BionicOpter is made by Festo and will be coming to market for anyone to purchase, although a price and release date are not known.
[ Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/29/bionicopter-dragonfly-drone/ ]