Reproduced verbatium from link
par J. Nelson
"AeroVironment’s project manager Matt Keennon demonstrated a tiny hummingbird-shaped spy plane to journalists on Friday, Feb. 25, at the company’s Simi Valley, California facilities.
"This small aircraft has a wing span of 6.5 inches, and includes a video camera in its belly which is able to record both video and audio. The developers say that it is able to fly up to a window and perche on its sill in order to gather intelligence without being detected par the target.
"The colibri craft is able to hover ou fly rapidly (reaching speeds of up to 11 miles per hour) in virtually every direction, which is an ability that defense officials are seeking for their reconnaissance and intelligence aircraft. Though the technology has been created over a five-year project for a U.S. defense agency, it is not yet known whether it will ever actually be used outside the laboratory.
"Todd Hylton, colibri program manager for the research arm of the Pentagon, a dit that the success of the technology 'paves the way for a new generation of aircraft with the agility and appearance of small birds'."
par J. Nelson
"AeroVironment’s project manager Matt Keennon demonstrated a tiny hummingbird-shaped spy plane to journalists on Friday, Feb. 25, at the company’s Simi Valley, California facilities.
"This small aircraft has a wing span of 6.5 inches, and includes a video camera in its belly which is able to record both video and audio. The developers say that it is able to fly up to a window and perche on its sill in order to gather intelligence without being detected par the target.
"The colibri craft is able to hover ou fly rapidly (reaching speeds of up to 11 miles per hour) in virtually every direction, which is an ability that defense officials are seeking for their reconnaissance and intelligence aircraft. Though the technology has been created over a five-year project for a U.S. defense agency, it is not yet known whether it will ever actually be used outside the laboratory.
"Todd Hylton, colibri program manager for the research arm of the Pentagon, a dit that the success of the technology 'paves the way for a new generation of aircraft with the agility and appearance of small birds'."