UAV Cost Capabilities

Global Hawk $123,000,000

Range: 34 hours
Max Altitude: 65,000 ft
Weight: 22,900 lbs
Optics: Visible, infrared, synthetic apertture radar
Weapons: None
Autonomous abilities: Total
Predator B $8,000,000
Range: 14 hours
Max Altitude: 50,000 ft
Weight: 10,000 lbs
Optics: Visible, infrared
Weapons: Hellfire missiles, laser-guided bombs
Autonomous abilities: Total
Procerus Kestrel $14,000
Range: 1 hour
Max Altitude:
Weight: 3 lbs
Optics: XGA video
Weapons: None
Autonomous abilities: preset GPS waypoints
GeoCrawler1 $1,450
Range: 15 minutes, 5 miles
Max Altitude: 1,000 ft
Weight: 3lbs
Optics: VGA video, 2.4 GHz wireless downlink
Weapons: None
Autonomous abilities: preset GPS waypoints
GeoCrawler2 $960*
Range: 30 minutes, 10 miles
Max Altitude: 1,000 ft
Weight: 6 lbs
Optics: VGA video, 2.4 GHz wireless downlink
Weapons: None
Autonomous abilities: dynamic GPS waypoints, text message commands
GeoCrawler3 $510
Range: 20 minutes, 5 miles
Max Altitude: 1,000 ft
Weight: 3.5 lbs
Optics: 1.3 megapixel stills, video; MMS downlink
Weapons: None
Autonomous abilities: dynamic GPS waypoints, text message commands and telemetry.
The sub-$1,000 UAV project
powered!
GeoCrawler 1
GeoCrawler 2
GeoCrawler 3
Nitro Models Predator B:
Brushless motor
Li-ion batteries
Modded with steerable nosegear
Web: nitroplanes.com
UNAV Picopilot:
Three-axis gyro autopilot
Launch-programmed GPS waypoints
Web: u-nav.com
$300 $700
$450
Hobbico Electristar:
Brushless motor
Li-ion batteries
Upgraded to six-channel radio
Web: hobbico.com
FMA Direct Co-Pilot:
Uses infrared difference
between sky and ground to
determine vertical axis, keep
plane level.
Web: fmadirect.com
LEGO Mindstorms NXT:

Calculate paths based on GPS

coordinates

Mindstorms motor takes over

rudder control

Engaged by R/C servo triggering

touch sensor
Bluetooth GPS sensor: (Holux)

Transmitts location coordinates to

Mindstorms.
Cheap cellphone: (Nokia)
Send and receive GPS
coordinates by text message
$350
$110 $400
Range Video AV:
Sony KX131 camera
500mw 2.4ghz downlink tx/rx
Separate three-channel
R/C system for camera gimbal
control
Laptop video capture card
Web: rangevideo.com
Hobbico Superstar EP
Brushless motor
Li-ion batteries
Web: hobbico.com
FMA Direct Co-Pilot:
Uses infrared difference
between sky and ground to
determine vertical axis, keep
plane level.
Web: fmadirect.com
$200 $110
HP iPaq 6515 smartphone:
Built-in GPS, 1.3 megapixel
camera, EDGE wireless data
Windows Mobile OS
Web: eBay (product is
discontinued but widely
available)
$200
HOW IT WORKS:
GPS waypoints and other
commands are sent to the
phone by text message.
The phone computes
waypoint navigation based
on its internal GPS and sends
commands to the rudder
servo via Rentron.com
PC/servo controller.
The phone uses its built-in
camera to take stills and
video and transmits them on
the Cingular EDGE network to
laptop at launch site.
Total cost: $1,450
Total cost: $510
Airframe Stabilization/Navigation Video System
$450
Range Video AV:
Sony KX131 camera
500mw 2.4ghz downlink tx/rx
Separate three-channel
R/C system for camera gimbal
control
Laptop video capture card
Web: rangevideo.com Total cost: $1,260 (* $960
if youve already got Mindstorms)
DIY Drones
(diydrones.com)
Pros ($$$$)
Amateurs (cheap)