London, May 11: A deadly new flying robot, named Aeryon Scout, promises to replace the CCTV camera and track down criminals and security threats with greater effectiveness.
Users simply point to a place on Google Maps on its touch-screen controller and the robot flies there at 30 mph to record high quality video that can be beamed to an iPhone in real-time.
The robot, manufactured by Canada-based Aeryon Labs Inc, is touted as the world’s most sophisticated intelligence system. It can go up to 500 ft above the ground and can zoom in to a close-up from a 300 metres away, meaning it may not even be seen while on a mission.
The four rotor blades also ensure it is practically silent when hovering. It beams its pictures to any electronic device, be it a remote computer or even an iPhone, the Daily Mail reported.
The Scout and its laptop-style control panel fits into a suitcase so it can be deployed easily over any crowd and carried away covertly.
One of the most ingenious features is that the camera is self-correcting, so even if you are flying along at speed, it will stay locked on the target.
In a video posted on the Aeryon website, the $50,000 robot hovers at a great distance from a car thief who is being caught in the act. When the camera zooms in, the suspect’s face can be clearly seen, a great help for the police.
The Scout also has potential uses for the military and general surveillance missions.
The company is currently seeking permits to fly the Scout in the US and has already spoken to a number of law enforcement and security agencies.
–Agencies