Today on BBtv, Xeni talks with Wired’s Chris Anderson and “airplane geek” Jordi Munoz about blimp-based aerial drones. Through his DIYDrones site, Chris is on a mission to create an under $100 UAV.
The robo-blimp used in the vehicle shown in the vid is based on Jed Berk’s Blubber Bot design, featured on the cover of MAKE Volume 12. You can buy the Blubber Bot kit in the Maker Store.
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Gareth Branwyn is a freelance writer and the former Editorial Director of Maker Media. He is the author or editor of over a dozen books on technology, DIY, and geek culture. He is currently a contributor to Boing Boing, Wink Books, and Wink Fun. And he has a new best-of writing collection and “lazy man’s memoir,” called Borg Like Me.
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Just to be clear, the blimp was inspired by Jed’s BlubberBot, but all but the plastic strips holding the motors are now our own. We love the BlubberBot, but it’s more of an art project than a UAV, which is why we eventually made our own.
That is so cool! I really have a fascination with UAVs, and this is just awesome! I really like the idea of open hardware too.
unfortunately, i misread that as “hobo-blimp,” and i will now settle for nothing less.
Are you kidding Chris Anderson? the plastic strips are “Now our own”! You totally copied Jed’s carriage design! C’mon, don’t you have any originality? Just admit you ripped it off..