OSU and DARPA building UAV nano planes that can fit in a pocket

A fancy new miniaturized plasma propulsion system being developed at Oklahoma State University promises some exciting new Unmanned Ariel Vehicle spy plane designs for the folks at DARPA. The engine is about the size of a cigarette, contains no moving parts, and will be build into planes as small as 6-inches long, which soldiers can carry in packs of six or so and deploy as a swarm of inquisitive Daniel Craigs. The planes should be able to manage indoors and urban areas. No word on when these will be spying on a homeland security threat near you, but the project is still in the early stages.

[Via Crave]

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 20th 2008 7:34PM]

These things were designed to be shot out of a gun. Now it's a matter of wrapping an unfolding wing and sensor/control unit around it. Then you pop some of these out of a fighter that's doing a pass over a large area.

[rav97 Posted Jan 20th 2008 8:21PM]

Hopefully in a few years these will be supplanted by jet planes shaped like nicotine patches.

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 21st 2008 1:57PM]

A private jet for the Olsen twins?