Fly another day: The James Bond inspired 'microcopter' that will come in packs of three
The world's tiniest helicopter has been specially developed for spies and soldiers
Weighing in at just 0.5g, the tiny servos mean the PD-100 is even smaller than a toy battery helicopter.
Powered by an electric motor, the microcopter has 4in rotor blades, carries a tiny digital camera and flies at speeds of up to 20mph.
It has been tested successfully inside and outside in very light winds.
The idea is that soldiers might carry a few Black Hornets in a pocket. If they fancied a look inside a building, over a hill or crest, down a tunnel or something, they'd simply launch an almost-silent palmtop microcopter for a recce. Should the tiny chopper come to grief due to flat batteries, a prang or perhaps a rolled-up newspaper, no matter - several cheap replacements could easily be carried. The standard package will come with three aircraft, a pocket controller and a charger.
PD-100 Prototype - Flight testing
PD-100 Black Hornet
PD-100 Black Hornet is a small video camera equipped helicopter not more than 100 mm long, weighing less than 20 grams. It can be carried in your pocket and launched within seconds to give immediate situational awareness. This new ultra small aircrafts is a valuable tool in situations where a closer look at a hostile area or inside a contaminated building is crucial.
Operational Concept
Deployment
• Complete PD-100 System Carried by One Man
• Ready to Fly – In the Air Within One Minute
• Requires No Prepared Surface
• Stealth – Small and Quiet
• Reusable with Fly Home Capability
• Low Cost
• Easy to Fly, Requires Little Training
Missions
• Look Behind Objects
• Birds Eye View of Areas of Interest
• Visual Information in Urban Operations
• Reconnaissance Inside Buildings
• Hover and Stare
• Object Identification
• Target and Damage Assessment
• Deployment of Special Payload
Sources:
- Fly another day: The James Bond inspired 'microcopter' that will come in packs of three | Mail Online
- 'Soon soldiers will have 3 tiny choppers in their pocket' • The Register
- YouTube - PD-100 Prototype - Flight testing
- Prox Dynamics - Welcome
- Prox Dynamics - Welcome-PD-100 Black Hornet