DIY Windows Mobile Drone

We normally refrain from using salty language here at WMExperts, but sometimes, well, sometimes something is just too bad ass and such a great example of the power of the platform that we can't help ourselves. Witness: The Windows Mobile-based remote-controlled airplane drone [via]. Sincerely, we're tearing up a little from the sheer awesome:
- It's auto-piloted along a preset GPS path by the iPaq 6515 you see strapped to the bottom
- It automatically takes pictures are pre-set GPS waypoints, instantly sent along by MMS.
- It accepts course changes, camera commands, and more by SMS
You can download the code yourself to create your own drone. Chris Anderson, the heroric DIY Drone poster who created the software last year (seriously, how did we miss this?), notes that the software is still technically Beta. Our advice: toss some Qik realtime video streaming up in this rig.
Ladies and Gentlemen: this is why having an open platform that's easy to develop for is important.
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Operating a model airplane "out of sight" of the controller, as is implied, is DANGEROUS and IRRESPONSIBLE!! The photo is clearly a model airplane designed for directly viewed & piloted radio control.
THE FAA and the AMA (Academy of Model Aeronautics) work together to keep this type of activity safely under control in order to allow those of us who enjoy the hobby to continue to operate within safe, agreed on, guidelines.
This implied type of operation is clearly against those rules.
Flagrant disregard will ultimately result in the loss of that privilege for us all!
A mishap while operating in this manner will cause a media circus that will demand the censorship of all untethered model aircraft operation.
Just because you CAN do something does not make it a GOOD idea!
Sincerely,
Thomas Pomeroy