LP960 UAV flies around, shoots high def photographs, video of its journey

We've seen drones that do all kinds of things, but this one is on the special side. Lehman Aviation's just debuted its LP960 UAV -- a winged flyer that's just over three feet long, weighing under two pounds. The bot is equipped with a 10 megapixel camera, and its job is to zoom around snapping high resolution aeriel photographs and video of the area, while being controlled remotely. The man on the ground pulling the strings can also see what it looks like up above, making adjustments to the flight path accordingly. Check the video ater the break for a demo of the bird, and some examples of its work -- plus a stunning, moody soundtrack to boot. Oh, and if you were wondering, the LP 960 is priced at around $17,000.

[Via Engadget Spanish]

[PyRo1509 @ Jan 26th 2009 11:01AM]

now i can have a wall sized picture of dirt...

[John @ Jan 26th 2009 11:08AM]

Looks like an expensive Zagi to me.

[Demonhawk @ Jan 26th 2009 2:26PM]

That's exactly what I was going to say

[brie @ Jan 26th 2009 11:08AM]

*sigh* does not play :(

[sdantes13 @ Jan 26th 2009 11:09AM]

17K!!!! I could make one for about 500, minus the silly comupter in his special box!

[glucoseboy @ Jan 26th 2009 2:40PM]

$500 and a nicer setup. Sdantes Aviation? Sign me up. I've got my own glove.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=teDUM5NMCBU

[Dankoozy @ Jan 26th 2009 8:15PM]

holy shit i want one

[kaiswil2 @ Jan 26th 2009 11:09AM]

Does the glove come with the package?

[Like_A_Glove @ Jan 26th 2009 11:37AM]

No, glove can be purchased separately, from me.

[Eric Hoffstetter @ Jan 26th 2009 11:11AM]

What a queen!

[nobody @ Jan 26th 2009 11:34AM]

Click to play... or not.

[Laura June @ Jan 26th 2009 12:19PM]

We got the video from a different source now (Engadget Spanish) and it should be working great now. Thanks!

[David Hildreth @ Jan 26th 2009 11:16AM]

Ugh, can we please try to not bastardize the term "high def" even further? There is no need to ever use it in relation to photography.

[LondonConsultant @ Jan 26th 2009 12:30PM]

I think it's fine when the term "high-definition" used in this vague way. The problems occur when people incorrectly think that term has a precise meaning.

[idiot @ Jan 26th 2009 11:20AM]

fun fact: the "man pulling the strings" phrase here is appropriate here because the first way to take large aerial photos like these was to fly a kite with a camera attached and pull a string to take the picture. true!

[Agent .25i @ Jan 26th 2009 1:54PM]

When I was a kid, my first (remote) controlled plane was a cox model, I don't remember what the model name was, but it was a bi plane... Anyway, it was controlled by strings. You flew it around in a circle, using the strings to change the elevation.

[neodorian @ Jan 26th 2009 11:22AM]

Video no worky.

[BrettA @ Jan 26th 2009 11:24AM]

After Googling several variations of < "Lehman Aviation" UAV 12 LP960 >, I still haven't found it, so rather than continue to look, could someone post a site name. Issues I'd like to know include: Is the camera or sensor upgradable / where and how to buy / is it really 12 Mpx (does NOT look it on the video) / what camera/sesor is it (Nikon's D3/D700 12 Mpx pwns all others) / can anyone typically fly/control or is training needed / do various regions typically (not) require a license, and more.

[JPW @ Jan 26th 2009 11:24AM]

If this link shows, try it:

http://twitter.com/es_engadget/status/1147839713

[Tim Brown @ Jan 26th 2009 11:37AM]

Cheers for that, not exactly the same version, only at 10MP camera, but the rest seams to be same tech. http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x80raf_dmo-en-vol-lp960_tech for video and http://www.lehmannaviation.com/ for the site.

[mr garrison @ Jan 26th 2009 11:41AM]

Why does he have a buttplug in a lunchbox?

[Like_A_Glove @ Jan 26th 2009 11:54AM]

Paparazzi would love this, just imagine: one flew over the Beverly Hills.

[XiXiDu @ Jan 26th 2009 11:57AM]

Since these drones get better and better, cheaper and widely
available, I wonder why news agencies don't get some like this or
others and use them to capture footage of war zones, if the parties
don't allow the press to enter the region. For the Gaza Strip for
example it should even be possible to control them via laser if there
are radio jammers, or just program them for an automate sightseeing
flight.

[Agent .25i @ Jan 26th 2009 2:01PM]

War Zone = No Fly Zone.
You think they want to try and keep track of all the news source drones in the air? Imagine what would happen if someone mistook a news drone for an armed enemy drone and 28 people die as a result. Not cool. Or vice versa, a news drone is taken out, you know someone will come looking for who done it. And at min 17k...(I would imagine ones for professional use would cost a bit more) you bet they'd be pissed off, and looking for amends.

[Agent .25i @ Jan 26th 2009 2:03PM]

whoops, I meant... Imagine if they mistook an enemy drone for a news drone.

[Katie @ Jan 26th 2009 12:19PM]

That drone flies a lot like that CNN "UFO" at the Inauguration. I know it's smaller than the one in the DC video but...could something like that be what ws flying around?

[Thomas Carter @ Jan 26th 2009 12:34PM]

The Lehmann site refers to the camera as 10 megapixel and 28mm lens.

[Laura June @ Jan 26th 2009 1:00PM]

You're right -- it does! I updated.

[Doug @ Jan 26th 2009 2:04PM]

Is that David Bowie?

http://imagecache2.allposters.com/images/pic/MMPH/174221~David-Bowie-Posters.jpg

[dazepro @ Jan 26th 2009 2:06PM]

He or She???

[willis @ Jan 26th 2009 2:30PM]

Give me frickin laser beams on the thing and we'll talk

[Andrew @ Jan 26th 2009 2:34PM]

$17K!? WTF!? Gimme a break...since their site doesn't even pull up (as I've tried numerous times) I can't see the specs of the product...but regardless, I agree w/ sdantes13, you could build your own for around $500 (I fly radio control as well, so I know this comment to be true as I've done it with a Cannon Elph hand held - 7.5Mega Pixles.) Common "Lehman" - ru kidding?!

[magnus @ Jan 26th 2009 8:34PM]

they say its all "autopilot"... how much would that add? Maybe some auto-go-to-GPS-coords system?

[Denver_80203 @ Jan 26th 2009 2:47PM]

for 17k i'll just rent a piper cub, pilot and hang out the side with a D300.

[ED @ Jan 26th 2009 5:13PM]

But can it avoid being shot down by Jaffa?

[jason @ Jan 26th 2009 5:19PM]

so long as it makes that 'clicky' sound when taking the pictures, I have no problem with this.

/not Pete King-R New York, NY

[Thameth @ Jan 26th 2009 9:42PM]

This is ridiculous, there are people doing whats called "FPV" flying for a few years now that would blow this thing out of the water and for 1/10th of the cost. Many good FPV fliers rigs probably cost anywhere from $1k-$2k with everything included. They're also using video goggles and headtracking to fly the planes virtually. Rigging a small 10mp camera to the bottom is nothing.

Many of these people fly their planes out of visual range and up to 7k feet and higher into the clouds, miles away from their base station with full video. Others have autopilot, GPS, and HUD's for all the info you could need from the plane. And again this is all for under $2k.

The sad part is that this company may actually sell this to someone who doesn't know any better and make a WHOLE lot of money for nothing.

Example: http://www.vimeo.com/2881052

If the link doesn't work just Search Youtube or Vimeo for "FPV Headtrack"

[dankers @ Jan 27th 2009 9:07AM]

I'm one of those FPV guys, I fly helis and planes via FPV, here's one of my recent videos:

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=983908

First Person View is basically flying the plane using video downlinked to a goggles as Thameth stated. Although one of my current FPV planes has a on screen display with a basic auto pilot, it is limited and used as a return to base feature in case the RC link is lost. I also use a headtracker on this aircraft and it is a good sight seeing plane.

I'm also in to UAVs as well and although somewhat different than pure FPV, it is equally as fun. Basically general RC gear is limited to about 1 mile, there is special RC gear that can get 20+ miles but my approach to longer range flight was to make a UAV. The autopilot I am using is called paparazzi and is open source:

http://paparazzi.enac.fr/wiki/Main_Page

This plane has a 20+ mile downlink that I can use to guide the plane as well as a video feed that can transmit up to 10 miles. This way the plane flies its self and is very stable with the autopilot and I can use the goggles to sight see without having to worry about flying the plane or getting lost. If there is something I want to look at or video, I tell the autopilot to circle (or fly a figure 8) around the point with a single click on the laptop.

Apart from being fun, this is very useful technology, it is useful for looking for bush fires, property inspection on large farms and not too expensive, a complete plane with Autopilot, video downlink and airframe (with servos, motor, batteries and speed controller) can be done for under US$1000, all you need to add is time and a laptop. Amatuer UAVs have a bit of a steep learning curve.

[Davorin @ Jan 27th 2009 1:54AM]

For that money i could buy a mechanical fly with a built in camara. i wonder what kind of warranty they offer for this.

[ncmach1 @ Jan 27th 2009 8:47AM]

This is old news. Go to rcgroups forums for several articles on this hobby.

[Matthew @ Jan 27th 2009 11:33AM]

These guys have had something similar for years!
http://www.draganfly.com/
Moocho-cheaper too. They also have higher-priced pro models.

Matt
who would really like any one of these: http://www.rctoys.com/rc-products-catalog/RC-HELICOPTERS-DRAGANFLYER-COMPARE-ALL.html