The DIY Kid-tracking Drone

On school-day mornings, I walk my grade-school-age son 400 meters down the hill to the bus stop. Last winter, I fantasized about sitting at my computer while a camera-equipped drone followed him overhead.  So this year, I set out to build one. For the basic airframe, I selected a quadcopter design for its maneuverability and ability to hover. Construction was straightforward: You can buy a quadcopter kit with all the pieces or, as I did, get parts separately and spend more time on system integration.   On the mechanical side, there’s a central frame to hold the electronics, spars of aluminum to support the motors and propellers, and legs to cushion the quadcopter’s landing (I made a few extra sets of legs out of foam board for easy replacement).   On the electronics side, there’s a main control board plus sensors, batteries, a power distribution board, power controllers fo...

Full article: http://spectrum.ieee.org/geek-life/hands-on/the-diy-kidtr...

Tweets

@SchmartBoard » 22 Dec '12, 5pm
Tracking down the kids can be fun instead of a chore:... [link]
@ailurofil » 14 Dec '12, 10am
RT @monki: Drone parenting [link] ping @demilit
@monki » 14 Dec '12, 10am
Drone parenting [link] ping @demilit
@byphareast » 13 Dec '12, 5am
これは凄いｗｗｗ　息子を自動追尾・撮影するヘリコプターｗｗｗ　ストーカーにはもってこいだな　[link]
@rileywmcleod » 12 Dec '12, 6am
The DIY Kid-tracking Drone - IEEE Spectrum [link] (via Instapaper)
@Dave_Fahy » 11 Dec '12, 3am
RT @philipyam: A kid-following drone from a literal helicopter parent. Can't wait until he weaponizes it. [link] #drone
@philipyam » 11 Dec '12, 3am
A kid-following drone from a literal helicopter parent. Can't wait until he weaponizes it. [link] #drone
@philipyam » 11 Dec '12, 3am
Hilarious to hear former @Sciam editor Paul Wallich on @waitwait [link] about his kid-following drone [link]
@sharonsinead » 09 Dec '12, 8pm
"The DIY Kid-tracking Drone" by Paul Wallich. [link] #news #science #technology #philosophy #ethics #robotics
@masspirates » 08 Dec '12, 6pm
How long until this is mass produced? - The DIY Kid-tracking Drone - [link]
@michelet » 08 Dec '12, 4pm
The how-to for that drone, which apparently works better in theory than practice, is [link]
@mikia_manley » 08 Dec '12, 4am
RT @alexanderrusso: I was wrong about schools being first to use drones to track kids -- parents are already doing it [link] via @huffpostedu
@alexanderrusso » 08 Dec '12, 4am
I was wrong about schools being first to use drones to track kids -- parents are already doing it [link] via @huffpostedu
@spimpompam » 08 Dec '12, 1am
OK, so having kids may actually boost creativity! Great story here : [link] #coolStuff
@alexbrey » 07 Dec '12, 3am
RT @tjowens: So this is happening... "The DIY Kid-tracking Drone: Building an Arduino-based gyrocopter that can follow a child" [link]
@tjowens » 07 Dec '12, 3am
So this is happening... "The DIY Kid-tracking Drone: Building an Arduino-based gyrocopter that can follow a child" [link]
@RickMcGuire1 » 07 Dec '12, 12am
Dad, PhD: When he got cold walking his kid to the bus stop, engineer Dad built a drone to do it. [link]
@lukaszalwast » 06 Dec '12, 5pm
and again boredom and innovation seem to go in pair.. #diy #drone #HBR [link] & [link]
@doug_brock » 06 Dec '12, 2pm
I'm late to the party on this one: Dad builds drone to walk kid to bus stop. I think it's cool. [link]
@villagevagabond » 05 Dec '12, 12pm
The amount of work we'll put in for a lazy morning: The DIY Kid-tracking Drone [link]
@chevygarza » 05 Dec '12, 2am
The DIY Kid-tracking Drone - IEEE Spectrum [link] / buena idea
@Omar_Soubra » 04 Dec '12, 2pm
#Drone automatically follows kiddo to bus stop... instant #coolkid. #IEEESpectrum [link]
@infontology » 04 Dec '12, 2pm
"while a drone does my parenting" Ett citat jag inte väntat mig riktigt ännu. [link]
@shealo » 04 Dec '12, 1pm
Wow. RT @virtadpt: On building a #quadcopter #drone to follow your #kids to the bus stop: [link]
@Asher_Wolf » 04 Dec '12, 1pm
RT @virtadpt: On building a #quadcopter #drone to follow your #kids to the bus stop: [link]
@eversion » 04 Dec '12, 1pm
The DIY Kid-tracking Drone > from the comments: "...takes 'helicopter parenting' to a new level." > [link]
@markhurrell » 04 Dec '12, 12pm
if this article on was on @VICEUK i'd find it hilarious [link] /via the new aesthetic
@masanorih » 04 Dec '12, 7am
アホや / “The DIY Kid-tracking Drone - IEEE Spectrum” [link]
@CampaignReboot » 03 Dec '12, 5pm
There's an element of this story that makes me think this guy is lazy and hates spending time with this kid [link]
@amandabeaty7 » 03 Dec '12, 2pm
RT @brian_sack: Smart, well-meaning dad makes creepy, frightening drone to follow his child to school. [link]
@brian_sack » 03 Dec '12, 2pm
Smart, well-meaning dad makes creepy, frightening drone to follow his child to school. [link]
@M_Remmerswaal » 03 Dec '12, 2pm
Kijk dat is nou handig! Een kleine heli om je kinderen te volgen richting school! Tot iedereen dit gaat doen....... [link]
@trends_news » 03 Dec '12, 1pm
The DIY Kid-tracking Drone: Building an Arduino-based gyrocopter that can follow a [link] #trending #news
@oliviergheysen » 03 Dec '12, 1pm
RT @tijs: The future of parenting is already here: the DIY kid-tracking drone [link] /via @dries
@OlivierLegris » 03 Dec '12, 1pm
Creepy geek dad: Track kid with an Arduino-based Gyrocopter [link]
@MartijnvdVeer » 03 Dec '12, 12pm
Arduino-based gyrocopter Leuk voor @jvdmeulen [link]
@tijs » 03 Dec '12, 10am
The future of parenting is already here: the DIY kid-tracking drone [link] /via @dries
@ZarrarKhuhro » 03 Dec '12, 10am
RT @RahmaMian: Hello, bad parents, you can now get a drone to follow your child as she goes to school, you can watch that she is safe. [link]
@RahmaMian » 03 Dec '12, 9am
Hello, bad parents, you can now get a drone to follow your child as she goes to school, you can watch that she is safe. [link]
@feyteybey » 03 Dec '12, 7am
ebeveyn teknolojisi cildirmis gibi ilerliyor! cocuk takip hava araci: [link]
@MH_Bonham » 03 Dec '12, 6am
The DIY Kid-tracking Drone - IEEE Spectrum - [link] via @Shareaholic
@sickjew » 02 Dec '12, 8pm
Gyrocopter Parenting RT @kennethlipp: The DIY Kid-tracking Drone - [link] small unmanned gyrocopter that can follow a child
@lilithlela » 02 Dec '12, 8pm
RT @__jhm: Building an Arduino-based gyrocopter that can follow a child [link] #uav #drone [link]
@kennethlipp » 02 Dec '12, 8pm
The DIY Kid-tracking Drone - IEEE Spectrum [link] small unmanned gyrocopter that can follow a child
@oscarzor » 02 Dec '12, 6pm
@MoniAgur ten cuidado con dejarle a @tenasDJ seguir jugando con el Arduino puede terminar así [link]
@Psythor » 02 Dec '12, 3pm
RT @flashboy: Old: Helicopter parents. New: Quadrocopter parents. Father builds drone to follow his son to the bus-stop: [link] (via @WFMU)
@flashboy » 02 Dec '12, 3pm
Old: Helicopter parents. New: Quadrocopter parents. Father builds drone to follow his son to the bus-stop: [link] (via @WFMU)
@jrodgers » 02 Dec '12, 2pm
RT @spelton: I should build this: The DIY Kid-tracking Drone - IEEE Spectrum [link]
@spelton » 02 Dec '12, 2pm
I should build this: The DIY Kid-tracking Drone - IEEE Spectrum [link]
@kll » 02 Dec '12, 8am
RT @micahgoulart: Helicopter parenting Level 11: Dad builds quadcopter drone to track his kid's trip to the school bus stop via video [link]