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Every weekday morning, Paul Wallich would accompany his young son some 400 meters from their home to the bus stop to make sure he was sent off to school safely. It’s not a terribly long distance to travel on foot but when it’s cold outside during the winter, it can certainly be an inconvenience.
It was for this very reason that Wallich decided to come up with a better solution to escort his kid to the bus stop – right from the comfort of his home. He decided to build a quadrocopter equipped with a camera that would stream live video directly to his computer.
The idea sounds easy enough in theory as you can readily buy a quadrocopter kit at virtually any hobby or electronics specialty shop. Supplying a live view of the drone’s flight was also pretty easy as Wallich simply attached a smartphone to the copter and used a video chatting app to stream live images to his PC.
As he described on IEEE, the easy part was getting the copter into the air with the video surveillance system installed. The tricky part, however, was figuring out how to get the drone to track his son’s movement during the 400 meter trek.
After looking into several long-distance RFID options, he decided that a GPS beacon would work best for his application. He ultimately installed a small transmitter beacon that fits discretely in his sons backpack. It’s powered by coin-cell battery that can typically last up to a week.
Overall, the copter is able to perform the task it was intended to do but it’s not without some issues. Flight can be difficult if it’s windy outside and the GPS tracking is reportedly only good up to a distance of about 10 meters. Another concern is the copter’s battery life. The inventor says it has just enough power to fly to the bus stop, wait for the bus then make it back home before dying.
User Comments: 59
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Next article: Dad creates custom predator-like drone equipped with Air-to-Ground Missile to avenge his son bullied at the school, kill strike confirmed three kids found dead in pieces..
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I don't think this is the lazy way as this is far FAR more effort than walking to a bus stop.
This sounds like a lot of work but I wonder if it has sensors to avoid collisions which IMO is mandatory with rotating blades.
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Has anyone considered the kid's perspective? I know from first hand experience that children much beyond kindergarten age find being walked by parents a drag & embarrassment, but may well think being tailed by a personal drone cool! Surely it's better than not caring at all, and possibly a really good idea (also, in the event of an "incident", the helidrone should provide evidence for the forthcoming abduction/assault case?) (y)
Also what is more credible in an actual case? Actual footage of something happening, or just a general eyewitness accounting of things? People can be tainted or forget, you can't as easily ruin footage. Sure you can edit things out and such, but honestly there's a lot of angles you can view this.
I hate being so honestly negative to others, simply because they have a single viewpoint. Learn to view from two or three angles. Don't just zero in on something specific, if details are withheld from you. =)
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Daddy be a lazy fat **** geek
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, post: 1257706, member: 169488"]I don't think this is the lazy way as this is far FAR more effort than walking to a bus stop.
This sounds like a lot of work but I wonder if it has sensors to avoid collisions which IMO is mandatory with rotating blades.
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I kept expecting that somewhere in the story I would be told this guy broke his leg and thats why he couldn't walk to the bus stop. I'm not as judgmental as some on here, but I'm not going to say that what this guy is doing is particularly great or considerate. Many philosophical, psychological, and practical problems with this solution. The physical presence is intimidating to kidnappers. While you can still be incapacitated, why would a kidnapper risk an attempt at a less vulnerable target when there are more to choose from. How exactly does this make the child feel? Embarrassment when people ask wtf is the helicopter for? Kid would get more ridicule then if the parent was actually there. How does the kid feel about walking alone? It just seems so impersonal. Like why is my dad going through all that trouble just to not spend time with me. Thats not something you internalize instantly but overtime can have a profound effect on a relationship. Nevertheless, the copter is still better then nothing. The idea that your child could be missing the whole school day and you not have any idea about it, no kidnapper description, no car description. 10 hours later you are utterly screwed and have no fighting chance to find the child.
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This one has missile: http://I.imgur.com/7Y8d8.jpg
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Has anyone even thought about it may have been the kids idea?
Many philosophical, psychological, and practical problems with this solution.These issues are going to be present regardless what the parent does. Kid grows up saying "My parent was always there never letting me make my own choices" or "My parent was never there and I had to grow up fast". You see it's not the parent single handedly, it's the parent child relationship that matters. And since there is no mention of this relationship, everyones judgmental attitudes are discredited.I wonder how many other technological advancements were made that could have been labeled with the same names you mentioned. Everything that has been created and patented had to come from somewhere. Chances are high that the biggest portion of technology we use today was probably created while some parent was being negligent. Knowing this though will not stop anyone from using any of the products.
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This one has missile: http://I.imgur.com/7Y8d8.jpg(Credit for Image goes to "Guest"
.[image link]Perhaps, but the Predator stalls at well above walk speed, and you'd have to fly too wide a circle to keep it on station...
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Xclusiveitalian said:
That helicopter won't save your kid in an emergency, this is pure laziness and I do not approve. Plus your gonna have to sit and watch the camera anyway, so just do the task at hand!
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That helicopter won't save your kid in an emergency, this is pure laziness and I do not approve. Plus your gonna have to sit and watch the camera anyway, so just do the task at hand!
What task's that?
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He's a lazy **** and a poor parent, discussion closed.
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It's not so much about this specific case, it's about how parenting is going downhill. Look around you....the way people are parenting is quite disturbing and it's getting worse and worse. It's a fact: most parents can't be bothered anymore.
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Look around you....the way people are parenting is quite disturbing and it's getting worse and worse. It's a fact: most parents can't be bothered anymore.Yeah and it all started when the government stepped in and confused parents on what exactly constitutes child abuse. Whats more abusive beating your kid for doing wrong or allowing your kid to continue doing wrong with very little consequence.
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misor said:
Here is a concept to all you commenter complaining about how lazy this parent is. Why don't you stay up watching your business instead of using surveillance cameras to record while you are at home. You people are downgrading this parent without knowing all the details. I would be willing to bet you would do anything to make your life easier, just as this parent is trying to do. Quite frankly you all disgust me, for being so judgmental! At least this parent is willing to watch his kids, even if it is from the comfort of his own couch.business and parenting are two different things.
if your business goes "cold", you can always restart it, provided you have funds.
if your kid goes "cold", would you simply create another child?
that is why it is called parenting... you are there when your child needs you.
from atty. denny crane to adopted son atty. donny crane:
"I provided you with the thing you needed most...MONEY."
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2 people like this |
"Everybody has their fifteen minutes of fame".
IMHO, this entire thread has given too much attention to something very trivial.
At worst, this parent is just another crap hole with an iPhone addition.
In fact, as I attempted to explain in an evidentiary manner, he likely isn't even responsible for "creating" the helicopter involved.
That hasn't stopped everyone from weighting in with doomsday scenarios about how he's an abusive parent. The rest of the nonsense about a child being kidnapped is mostly Chicken Little, "the sky is falling" histronics, engineered to cast the poster in a righteous light, and as a paragon of virtue.
The truth is, most child "kidnappings" are performed by people known to all the parties involved, estranged, bitter, parents, and the like.
Then too, a kidnapping for money has to involve a well to do family. It really is pointless a hold a child at ransom, who is from a family on public assistance.
Even if we assume that the family in question is quite wealthy, the answer would be a professional bodyguard, and a limo to a private school.
So, most of this thread is pure sensationalism, better suited to "Access Hollywood", than a technically oriented website.
Forgive me, I'm from a bygone era, when children walked themselves to school after being shown how. And know what, women even had healthy children without benefit of a couple thousand dollar ultrasound, the photos of which are passed around to show other parents how "cute" their babies are, as short term fetuses. I can't understand why nobody can afford health insurance, can you?
...[ ]....if your kid goes "cold", would you simply create another child?Take this for what it's worth; in my neighborhood that's pretty much exactly what is done. And why not pop out another if an earlier attempt gets murdered, or is doing a stint in the state pen.You have to find a way to see to it your social entitlements continue without let up.
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[image link]
Ahhhh but from reading the article it's clear that he made the quadrocopter from parts and that's a little more work.
, post: 1258154, member: 169488"]Ahhhh but from reading the article it's clear that he made the quadrocopter from parts and that's a little more work.But, the over the counter model has ducted fan rotors, which imparts the collision protection you suggested was mandatory.With that said, these machines were available long before the man in question, "developed it", as were several models of the iPhone.
The joke is, the model I posted the picture, is only available for use with an iPhone. A standard radio control version doesn't exist. So, unless this news story was well over a year old before it was published, this person didn't "develop" anything. At most, it's a borrowed idea with different parts.
The story has been sensationalized, and in this thread, has evolved into a run of the mill pissing contest, to see who is going to win the argument, "who's the best parent ever".
I'm still coming down with: 1. stolen helo idea 2. iPhone addict, and 3, a massive hyperbolization by our membership about the dangers of a child walking to school alone.
Or as Shakespear would say, "much ado about nothing".
Or as Shakespear would say, "much ado about nothing".Well, yes.
That helicopter won't save your kid in an emergency, this is pure laziness and I do not approve. Plus your gonna have to sit and watch the camera anyway, so just do the task at hand!Yes, as Pan Wah asked, what task is that?
Oh I'm sure this isn't the first Dadsy thing made in the name of convenience. And it wont be the last. It would have slightly more impressive if it had used face recognition or object detection to identify the child. As far as practical purpose, I doubt that it has any. It's more toy than nanny. But it's technology, which is why I like it. =)
Lazy because he didn't buy something pre made? Besides, those are RC, not a drone tracking an RFID.
Lazy because he didn't buy something pre made? Besides, those are RC, not a drone tracking an RFID.Well, if it's RFID you want, just drag the little s** * to your local veterinarian, and have him chipped like you would your prized toy poodle.that is why it is called parenting... you are there when your child needs you.The funny thing about that statement is no one in this thread has supported the claim that the child absolutely needed the parent to walk with. You know why, no one knows but yet members here don't hesitate to call the parent lazy and pathetic.I'm just hoping the whole concept doesn't catch on. Do you realize what an enormous waste of time and money it would be to to have fleets of drones floating above the head of every child on the path to a school.?The FAA and NTSB would be out on a daily basis investigating the crashes.
Well that, and Apple would patent their model and sue every other manufacturer on the planet for infringement.
If this child is indeed so "special needs" then have them drive the school bus up your front lawn, so he doesn't get lost on the way to it.
Look Damien, walk toward the big yellow thing right over there, parked on the petunias
And then too, you should probably insist on seeing the results of a daily breathalyzer exam on the bus driver, before our future emperor hops on board...
![hellokitty[hk]](http://www.techspot.com/community/data/avatars/s/169/169488.jpg?1355088591)
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