OK – this use case is right out of The Hunger Games. A recent story published on www.siliconrepublic.com describes how China has developed a drone disguised as a pigeon.
According to the South China Morning Post, 30 military and government agencies have deployed these bird drones in five of China’s provinces in the past year as part a program code-named ‘Dove’.
Check out the video (ignore the terrible music accompanying it!):
At first, we thought this was a hoax of sorts yet multiple news sources confirm. According to Business Insider,
“The new drones have been developed for a program known as “Dove” and are able to replicate about 90% of the movements of a real dove. Unlike standard unmanned aerial vehicles with fixed wings or rotor blades, these drones can gain altitude, dive and accelerate in flight just as a bird would. The flap mechanism allows the wings to change shape slightly when they move up and down, generating not only lift but also pushing the drone forward. They’re also very quiet, which makes them very difficult to detect.”
The drone carries a built-in high-definition camera, a GPS antenna, a flight control system and data link with satellite communication capability. It weighs roughly 200 grams (almost a half pound) and a wingspan of about a foot and a half long. It can fly at speeds of up to 25 mph for up to 30 minutes.
Next time you see a dove you may have to wonder whos watching you;)
