‘s SQ-4 weighs only 2.9 ozs. (82 grams), flies up to 400 feet in the air, fits in the palm of a hand, contains two video cameras, can hover in place and perch on ledges, and automatically returns “home” when its battery runs low.
The SQ-4, which was developed by a team at London’s Middlesex University‘s Autonomous Systems Laboratory, debuted this fall at the Defence & Security Equipment International conference in London. Right now, it comes in two separate models: a full-function “recon” model with two cameras and a 4,900-foot flying range that weighs 7 ounces, and a super-miniaturized version with one camera and a 1,640-foot flying range that weighs 2.9 ounces.
Both models are controlled via a remote control.
According to BCB project manager Barry Davies, the aircraft are designed for discreet surveillance and reconnaissance tasks in urban settings. They hover silently and send video footage back to the operator and automatically begin to fly back to their launch point once the battery meter drops to 30% or the operator begins to lose control. A separate device from the remote control displays a live video feed on a seven-inch screen for the mission commander. Both the aircraft and accessories are designed to comfortably fit in a standard-size backpack.
While the central portion is handheld, the entire diameter of the UAS–including “wings”–is about the diameter of a Frisbee. The small weight means that they even have the ability to perch, birdlike, on ledges and building ornaments.
Source: Fast Company