Wanted, partner in crime

[Fulvio]

that would be a blast to build an aircraft like that!!

I totally agree. But its a rich man's hobby, IMO. And a skilled one's. I took a quadcopter for a flight on Sunday night, and crashed it lots... and these things are pretty easy to fly. Fortunately the body is made out of foam, and easily stuck back together with glue or sticky tape. Not so the jets.

[robbiegal]

good grief
wot is a quadcopter when it's at home?

[ausjack]

I think it's one of these toys like this that you see at the markets all the time, am I right Fulvio http://www.ebay.com.au/sch/i.html?_trksid=p2050601.m570.l1311.R1.TR7.TRC1.A0.Xquadcop&_nkw=quadcopter&_sacat=0&_from=R40

[Fulvio]

Yep. The one I crashed is this: http://ardrone2.parrot.com/

Basically, they're four-blade copters (there are also other configurations, like six-blade Hexacopters) which are much easier to fly and inherently more stable than helicopters. The parrot is controlled with a iOS device over WiFi, simply by tilting the device, which shows video from the on-board camera.

More substantial machines can do all manner of real-world tasks, and are generally radio-controlled. Armies and police forces use them for surveillance for example. They are also able to operate autonomously, either singly or in swarms, and in one demonstration built a 6m tower out of blocks with no human intervention other than preparing the blocks to be lifted.

Here's a cool video of an autonomous swarm:
http://www.gizmag.com/grasp-nano-quadrotor-robots-swarm/21302/