[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlJnTh9THos[/ame]

That's a Draganfly X4 smart remote control mini helicopter that Julia (at the end of the clip) and I went to see the other day inside a sports hall at Brunel University.

So what has this to do with photography? Well, it can be supplied with a modified Panasonic Lumix compact digital camera, which can be controlled from the ground and take pictures while the aloft.

Several thousand Draganfly mini helicopters (not the X4, which is band new and only three exist at the time of writing) have already been sold worldwide by the Canadian manufacturer, and among the customers are some rather ambitious wedding photographers I'm informed.


[IMG]http://dpnow.com/images2/P3112277.jpg[/IMG]

(Above) That's the Draganfly X6 (with a Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3 camera installed), the X4's older and larger, more powerful and more sophisticated (and more expensive) sibling, with three double rotors instead of four singles.

Both are battery-powered, using lithium ion cells, and can fly for over 25 minutes on one charge. These are smart remote control helicopters because they maintain flight stability via their on-board computers. The pilot simply has to control direction and altitude, without worrying about keeping it level. These helicopters will even soft land themselves if they run out of battery power or lose radio connection with the pilot on the ground.

[IMG]http://dpnow.com/images2/P3112236.jpg[/IMG]

[I](Above) An X4 ready for take off[/I]

I really would like one for my birthday (which is next week, incidentally (hint, hint!), but you'd need around �20,000 to get started with the X6, or �13,000 for the X4, approximately and depending on whether you needed the digital camera and training.

Where are my lotto numbers...?!