We told you about the AR.Drone that we saw at CES, but here’s an alternative that you can build today. Sure, it’s not iPhone/iPod controlled, but it does everything else.
The AeroQuad is an Arduino controlled, four rotor helicopter, built by a group of enthusiasts as an experiment. Admittedly, it’s not as polished as the AR.Drone, but you can (if you have the skills) build one yourself using commonly available parts. Having flown RC helicopters in the past, and having seen these videos, it’s safe to say that either the electronics are doing an amazing job of compensating for the instability in the design, or the pilot has a really steady hand. You can get a parts list and basic instructions from the builder’s website. Definitely let us know if you build one.
[Via Make]