Science Fiction
Dictionary
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
 |
Robot Aircraft To Ride Thermal Air Currents
Robot aircraft have a clever new way to conserve fuel - don't use any. Thermal air
currents have been providing lift to flyers since the dawn of time. Research currently
underway at Roke Manor Research in Hampshire, UK, indicates that this sort of sophisticated flight
can be programmed into autonomous unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Their plan is to test the idea
first by using it to offer guidance to pilots of gliders.
Here's how it works. An on-board camera takes video of the surrounding sky; software is used to
analyze the video, looking for gray, dome-shaped clouds that are formed by rapidly rising hot air.
The system is also able to integrate real-time weather forecasts and simulations.
When the system is automated, it should enable a UAV to pilot a course that transverses as many
thermal air currents as possible. The resulting fuel savings is not just a way to "green" robot
aircraft; it will enable longer flights by conserving a scarce resource.
The first place I read about this idea was Roger
Zelazny's admirable 1980 science/fantasy novel Changeling. In the story, small, robot
planes called 'tracer-birds' detect and ride air currents:
...they stirred, almost simultaneously, as if shaken by a sudden breeze. They began to flex their
wings.
Soon, one by one, they dropped from the heights, caught the air, rose, found their way, found
their patterns, resumed their journey...
These science-fictional robot planes were also solar-powered.
If the idea of autonomous robot planes making use of thermal air currents intrigues you, take a
look at another ongoing research effort - the Cloud
Swift Autonomous Soaring Project.
The dark birdforms dotted the mountaintops like statues of prehistoric beasts, wings outspread...
(Read more about Roger Zelazny's tracer-birds)
Scroll down for more stories in the same category. (Story submitted 8/21/2008)
Follow this kind of news @Technovelgy.| Email | RSS | Blog It | Stumble | del.icio.us | Digg | Reddit |
Would
you like to contribute a story tip?
It's easy:
Get the URL of the story, and the related sf author, and add
it here.
Comment/Join discussion ( 0 )
Related News Stories - (" Surveillance ")
Simple Way To Defeat AI Face Recognition
'... designed to foil facial recognition systems.' - Neal Stephenson, 2019.
A System To Defeat AI Face Recognition
'...points and patches of light... sliding all over their faces in a programmed manner that had been designed to foil facial recognition systems.' - Neal Stephenson, 2019.
Smart TVs Are Listening!
'You had to live -- did live, from habit that became instinct -- in the assumption that every sound you made was overheard...' - George Orwell, 1948.
Police Drones In China Would Like To Have A Word With You
''OVERRIDE,' the City Fathers said suddenly, without being asked anything at all.' - James Blish, 1951.
Technovelgy (that's tech-novel-gee!) is devoted to the creative science inventions and ideas of sf authors. Look for the Invention Category that interests you, the Glossary, the Invention Timeline, or see what's New.
Science Fiction
Timeline
1600-1899
1900-1939
1940's 1950's
1960's 1970's
1980's 1990's
2000's 2010's
Current News
Miss Alabama Beauty Contest Offers Different Standards
'...they moved with the ease of dandelion puffs.'
Has Musk Given Up On Full Self Driving (FSD)?
'...some bored drone pusher in a remote driving centre...'
Prufrock-3 'The Monster' Ready To Launch
Just go for it.
Drones In Vast Airborne Grids
'These pods were programmed to hang in space in a hexagonal grid pattern...'
Starship Special Edition For Lunar Shuttle
Love those special edition spaceships.
Capturing Asteroids With Nets
'...the meteor caught and halted just as a small boy catches a swift ball in his cap.'
Project Hyperion - Generation Ship Designers Needed!
'We have decided that it shall be but one ship... it must contain everything needed to take us through the generations.'
AI Welfare Position At Anthropic Filled By Human
'You’re the robopsychologist of the plant, so you’re to study the robot itself...'
Marslink Proposed By SpaceX
'It was the heart of the Solar System's communication line...'
Simple Way To Defeat AI Face Recognition
'... designed to foil facial recognition systems.'
Wood-Panelled LignoSat Launched
'The Consul remembered his first glimpse of the kilometer-long treeship...'
Laser-Beam Welding In Orbital Factories
'His contract with Space Industries required him to work summers in their orbital factory.'
'Iceberg House' Of Travis Kelce Reflects Science Fiction Of Past Century
'The basement was huge... carved deep into the rock that folded up to underlie the ridge...'
Mechazilla Arms Catch A Falling Starship, But Check Out SF Landing-ARMS
'...the rocket’s landing-arms automatically unfolded.'
A System To Defeat AI Face Recognition
'...points and patches of light... sliding all over their faces in a programmed manner that had been designed to foil facial recognition systems.'
Robot Hand Separate From Robot
'The crawling, exploring object was V-Stephen's surgeon-hand...'
