Model of a plane controlled by smartphone

A group of Austrian students has successfully designed a model of aircraft capable of automatically flying based on smartphones. They hope one day their work will be useful in search and rescue operations without the presence of human beings.

At Vienna University of Technology, Annette and his colleagues are testing a four-bladed propeller. Unlike other self-made aircraft, their work relies on virtual points to determine direction, and does not require remote control or any external computer. All it takes is a smartphone.

Photo: Redobit

Annette Mossel, assistant research fellow at the Vienna University of Technology, said: "We have developed a complete software for automatic flight and programmable detection of terrestrial signals or models. for the plane. Navigation, navigation, and mapping are all done on a smartphone. '

Signs to recognize planes are square bar codes printed on a plastic sheet. When the plane flies above the signs, the camera of the phone will translate and record the information that they provide. In addition, the aircraft can also map the surrounding environment in flight, which, according to the researchers, is very useful.

"One of the most practical applications is in the case of firefighting ," said Hannes Kaufmann, chief researcher at Vienna University of Technology . We can send one or more planes to the scene of the incident, they will fly around and sweep the whole building. From there, they can create a 3D map of the structure of the building so that we know from the outside. "

In the near future, researchers hope their aircraft will be used in rescue operations, helping to reduce the presence of humans.