HN Theater @HNTheaterMonth

Here's a similar one the Japanese DOD (?) showed off a few years ago, I think, so I suppose the single-rotor (or dual on same axis) flying sphere with flaps has been around for a while: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pF0uLnMoQZA

It's also supposed to be able to bump, roll and stuff, but it looks like the OP has improved on the idea quite a bit with the independent suspension/crash cage.

⬐ YooLi

Real Genius - 1985

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfbqJpn8fN8

though it did suffer from a launch problem or possibly a design problem... :)

Old ideas put together in a new way (literally: off-the-shelf components). It's convenient how everything - rotor, control surfaces - is tucked away. And it can execute a rolling landing.

They say they had a hover/fly plane, but take-off and landings were difficult, and the spherical design was an attempt to solve it (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pF0uLnMoQZA&t=1m40s (1:40)). Although... perhaps the impressive aspects come from the R&D in the antecedent aircraft.

Hobbyists have long showed-off hovering remote-controlled model planes; the automatic control is what's really impressive, encapsulating that skill.

⬐ gnaritas

> Old ideas put together in a new way

As is pretty much everything; new ideas are far rarer than people want to admit.

⬐ wlievens

> Old ideas put together in a new way

AKA innovation

⬐ D_Alex

Wow, this is SO like the Half-Life scanners... Life imitating art??

⬐ rorrr

It's suspiciously quiet.