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This isn't that new, Yamaha has been selling a remotely controlled helicopter specifically made for applying insectcide on crops since 1991[0]. They were even u

by gene-h 7y ago

This isn't that new, Yamaha has been selling a remotely controlled helicopter specifically made for applying insectcide on crops since 1991[0]. They were even used in aerial robotics research for a bit[1]. Helicopters are particularly nice for spraying crops because you have a nice turbulent downwash that pushes the pesticide onto the crops. [0]https://www.yamahamotorsports.com/motorsports/pages/precision-agriculture https://www.yamahamotorsports.com/motorsports/pages/precisio... [1]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yamaha_R-MAX#Research https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yamaha_R-MAX#Research

conjectures 7y ago
Were they autonomous?
- 0xffff2 7y ago
  Unless I'm missing it, they're just unmanned, not autonomous. Wikipedia says "The Yamaha R-MAX ... is remote-controlled by a line-of-sight user".
- entangledqubit 7y ago
  They weren't. The crop dusting was done under manual control. Around 2005, you could semi-easily get a flight control unit to put on the research version. Add a laser scanning system and direct the system to fly into a building... from flights back around 2006-ish: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Skdh4Nwm6r4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Skdh4Nwm6r4