quadcopter/drones for backpacking (the future is coming)

Would the no motorized vehicle rules apply? Hope so. I could see them being REALLY annoying.

I see a future with me taking a few of these out with some rocks if I hear them buzzing around MY wilderness…

Folding Wrist Rocket
50 3/8" ball bearings

Don't care what the extra weight comes to.

Which model can carry the most gear? :)

This recently funded project has a twist on the quadricopter concept with a silent robot dragonfly that can be outfitted with a camera package.

Dragonfly

Great. Lets go harass some wildlife.

That is cool. Hate that spy on people aspect though.

"I suspect this will start to be adopted for backpacking. I could REALLY see this being used."

I couldn't disagree more..

I totally didn't think of that!

I don't see it as a "backpacking item", but the cool thing about these is how affordable they've made "helicopter shots" for video production. Imagine a movie…er, video that describes sections of the PCT and includes some sweeping overview shots — and they won't involve a chopper ripping around the back country nor the expense.

These have been used heavily in outdoor action sports in the last year and some. Now with prices and tech making them more available, there are quad-copters under a hundred bucks with low-end, 30fps cameras built in. The cool part is, a 60fps GoPro is enough for really great video and those don't weigh much.

I can't see carrying one of these backpacking, but for mountaineers launching an assault on a large, new mountain route, this would provide some great beta if pictures aren't/weren't available. It would be a great base camp tool. It would definitely remove some of the 'adventure' from the sport, but the same could be said about reading a detailed guide report or listening to the weather report.

A good example of how they are being used to capture jaw-dropping mountain footage.
Mammut 150 Trango Tower

I was on a midnight bike race a few months back, standing in the crowd and waiting for the starting horn. I start to detect a faint buzzing noise, turn, and find a dual rotor jet black police drone hovering about two meters over my head. A little black plastic bubble on the bottom was watching me…
Of course everyone gave it the finger.
I know they're discussing arming them with tear gas and rubber bullets for "crowd control".

Lovely.

I can't wait to buy mine and get out into the Anza Borrego backcountry on a trip with Nick Gatel and use it to chase down herds of bighorn for a blog photo, scout ahead for water sources in canyons, and get some exciting HD footage of us walking with really small packs on.

And I'll finally be able to see what the hell my neighbor's been building behind that garage….

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glorious_Twelfth

We already have drones here from the Border Patrol. A brave new world.

River runners could scout.

Climbers might need a new phrase to describe their climbs.

Instead of onsight, or redpoint etc. Drone'd?

Agreed, Craig. My kneejerk reaction was distaste shading into repulsion.

"I can't wait to buy mine and get out into the Anza Borrego backcountry on a trip with Nick Gatel and use it to chase down herds of bighorn for a blog photo, scout ahead for water sources in canyons, and get some exciting HD footage of us walking with really small packs on."

Looks like we might need really big packs to carry that thing along with spare batteries. While were at it we could bring some iPhones, iPads, solar panels, steriPens, Sat phone, SPOTS, spare GoPro Hero, heart rate monitors, Suunto multi-function watches, and a solar radio.

:)

I have done many trips where a distant peak looks interesting and I decide to detour, even though there are no trails on my map. I enjoy trying to figure out a safe route and then getting to the top. These are not highly technical climbs, but just a sense of accomplishment and outdoors enjoyment.

But it looks like we are going to be living in a Brave New World soon.

"But it looks like we are going to be living in a Brave New World soon."

Why do I have this nauseous feeling in the pit of my stomach? :(

Did you know that if two people are talking to each other on iPhones they can see each other on the screen if things are set up properly? Now I think that is pretty cool.

I wonder if Big Brother can watch them.

"Did you know that if two people are talking to each other on iPhones they can see each other on the screen if things are set up properly? Now I think that is pretty cool.

I wonder if Big Brother can watch them."

Yeah, it's called Facetiming. And yeah, not only Big Brother, but anyone with the basic knowledge of stealing bits and bytes out of the air. Not that hard, actually.

Another reason why my parents named me SAM.

I actually bought one of these to spy on myself, since I can never remember what I'm doing. I inadvertently noticed it spying on me and it really ticked me off. I have some interesting video of me destroying it…..

If I see one of these things flying over me in a wilderness area and I happen to have a rifle, it's going down.

"Did you know that if two people are talking to each other on iPhones they can see each other on the screen if things are set up properly? Now I think that is pretty cool.

I wonder if Big Brother can watch them."

-Nick Gatel

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"Apple Inc.'s iPhone is collecting and storing location information even when location services are turned off, according to a test conducted by The Wall Street Journal."

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704123204576283580249161342.html?mod=e2tw
______________________________________________________________

"If you have something that you don't want anyone to know, maybe you shouldn't be doing it in the first place. If you really need that kind of privacy, the reality is that search engines – including Google – do retain this information for some time and it's important, for example, that we are all subject in the United States to the Patriot Act and it is possible that all that information could be made available to the authorities."

-Eric Schmidt, executive chairman, Google

"If you have something that you don't want anyone to know, maybe you shouldn't be doing it in the first place. If you really need that kind of privacy, the reality is that search engines – including Google – do retain this information for some time and it's important, for example, that we are all subject in the United States to the Patriot Act and it is possible that all that information could be made available to the authorities."

-Eric Schmidt, executive chairman, Google

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The government will make use of these powers only insofar as they are essential for carrying out vitally necessary measures…. The separate existence of the federal states will not be done away…. The number of cases in which an internal necessity exists for having recourse to such law is in itself a limited one.

– Adolph Hitler