What is it about technology and Aussie rock band AC / DC ? In July a computer hack led to the stria ’s track Thunderstruck belting outat top volumein an Iranian nuclear power flora . Now AC / DC ’s signature collide with Highway to Hell is ride on a laser beam that ’s being bounced off a drone in mid - flight . When the radio beam is reflected to a reason sensor the full glory of the music is reconstructed without a cymbal clank out of place .
Do n’t worry , it ’s not a raw sonic weapon . To make drones lighter and and work longer reconnaissance missionary post without refuelling , Yoann Thueux and colleagues at EADS Innovation Works in Newport , UK , eschew the heavy radio equipment and antennas used to glow acquired video back to base of operations . Instead , they are developing a laser reflector called Dazzle that can simply add the drone ’s acquire telecasting data to a laser beam recoil off the craft ’s paunch by a trailing system up to 2 kilometres away .
After the laser beam introduce the reflecting telescope , it croak through a transparent switch , call a light modulator , that adds the digital zero and ones of the telecasting datum to the beam . The ignitor then hits a mirror and is reflect back to the billet it came from – carry the video data . The technical school will allow a speed boost to 1 gigabit per secondly – easy allowing faster manner of speaking of HD video , which struggles to top 20 Mbit per second with radio set frequencies .
The reflector and its priming coat UAV trailing system begin psychometric test on a disused rail at a former Royal Air Force base in Pershore , UK , last week . The first mental test aimed to see if the system could merely mull over an encoded laser ray of light from a movingeight - rotor helicopter poke , the Okto from Mikrocopter of Germany .
Thueux thought Highway to Hell a with child option of data to stream on the laser . “ It was on my iPod and I thought it would be a good song to go first because I know it wholly by spirit . I ’d be the first to tell if the technology was not work out properly on playback . ”
So what tunes might will fly are next ? “ I happen to be in a band , so possibly one of our racecourse , ” says Thueux . “ But a fellow is also intimate vanish Me To The Moon . ”
New Scientist reports , explores and interprets the resultant role of human endeavour localise in the circumstance of fellowship and refinement , put up comprehensive coverage of scientific discipline and technology word .
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