Credit: The MITRE Corporation/The Economist
Expensive hardware meets off-the-shelf hardware & 3D printer – becomes cheap.
http://www.economist.com/blogs/babbage/2014/02/military-drones / military armed forces best toys America information technology information-technology industry powered military budgets budget consumer electronics e;ectronic unmanned aircraft Razor Raven American armed forces workhorse small drone wingspan reconnaissance built conventional techniques AeroVironment Californian firm controlled bespoke software cost costs Razor experimental vehicle designed design MITRE Corporation not for profit not-for-profit organisation manages government research programmes program programme University of Virginia 3D printer controlled control Android smart phone loaded available apps costs brainchild Michael Balazs Jonathan Rotner project Dr Balazs rebuild old military robot machine’s proprietary electronics custom software standardising military robots using off-the-shelf components open-source open source programs leading source smart phones phone smartphone global positioning system GPS built navigation video camera drone mobile phone radio transmitter receiver app apps electronic devices steer operate robot breakout board Dr Balazs Dr Rotner colleagues University of Virginia David Shefler radio-controlled toy cars Android communicate instruments programming tweaking Android-powered drone military-grade drone hardware expensive redesign fly reconnaissance capability aerial pictures stitched together high resolution high-resolution map free software testing 3D printers becoming commonplace Pentagon massive procurement budget MITRE /
