The capabilities of drones or unmanned aerial vehicle (UAVs) has become truly amazing. In fact, they can even be programed to perform the James Bond theme song!
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sUeGC-8dyk&w=480]
According to the caption on Youtube:
Flying robot quadrotors perform the James Bond Theme by playing various instruments including the keyboard, drums and maracas, a cymbal, and the debut of an adapted guitar built from a couch frame. The quadrotors play this “couch guitar” by flying over guitar strings stretched across a couch frame; plucking the strings with a stiff wire attached to the base of the quadrotor. A special microphone attached to the frame records the notes made by the “couch guitar”.
None of these flying drones are being controlled by humans but rather they have all been programed to play the instruments.
The stunt was put together by Penn’s School of Engineering and Applied Science, which is also the home to some of the most innovative robotics research on the planet with much of the research coming out of the General Robotics, Automation, Sensing and Perception (GRASP) Lab. Moreover, two engineers from Penn, Daniel Mellinger and Alex Kushleyev, have apparently already formed a company called KMel Robotics that will design and market these quadrotors.
Hence, orchestra musicians beware: You may soon face some quadrotor competition for your orchestra seats!