Comment by Mike Bakula on December 16, 2009 at 9:43am

Link, with video...

http://www.nasa.gov/topics/aeronautics/features/helo-droptest.html

Comment by Alex on December 16, 2009 at 10:57am

Perhaps I am not seeing it, but how will this be really useful to UAV's when the primary purpose of the energy absorbers are to save lives in a crash? I can see that it might usefull to protect some equipment on board a UAV, but i think its abit overkill for UAV applications.

Comment by Varga András on December 16, 2009 at 11:19am

A lot of miniUAVs use inflatable baloons under their belly while landing.

Comment by jasonshort on December 16, 2009 at 12:38pm

UAVs that carry people can't be that far off no?

Comment by Martin Seven on December 16, 2009 at 1:34pm

Then they wouldn't really be unmanned, would they.

Comment by mook on December 16, 2009 at 3:01pm

Manned: Operated by, performed by.

So it would be unmanned as long as they don't pilot it.

Comment by Ryan on December 16, 2009 at 5:10pm

Why didn't I think of this!!!! Strap cardboard boxes to the underside of helicopters......I could be a millionaire by now.....

Comment by Dale on December 16, 2009 at 6:04pm

be sure to use the special million dollar cardboard boxes.

seriously, probably not cardboard, must be something fancy that is airtight but allows air to vent controllably on impact. wonder if the pilot would get to have an oh sheet button to deploy it.

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