western willow ventures inc.

I liked a YouTube video: We lifted a chair, we've flown in heavy winds, lets push this thing to the limit! Whats so awesome that we would never risk breaking it?? Well a case of beer of course!! RobscoRC and NuvAero join forces again to tackle our most challenging lif...

I liked a YouTube video: Amazing pictures from Switzerland show where "jetman" Yves Rossy gave this incredible flying display, using a tailor-made jet pack. The aviation enthusiast leapt from a helicopter and performed a series of aerial acrobatics above the Alps. He then...

I liked a YouTube video:

I liked a YouTube video: Join the conversation at http://www.facebook.com/AviosUK and http://www.twitter.com/AviosUK. The Man Who Made Things Fly - Avios (official version). The making of the new Avios advert. See a washing machine, lawnmower, BBQ, and petrol pump fl...

I favorited a YouTube video: best guitar solo...

I liked a YouTube video: 11-15-11 4 - Special Comment - Mayor Bloomberg - Countdown with Keith Olbermann Tried to add the transcript here, but it was too long. I have, however, added closed captions, and you can find the full transcript (and much, much more) at The Cou...

I liked a YouTube video: GAUI 330X-S CC Conversion Early evening flight with LED lighting 2S 3000mah LIPO Music by Night Surf - Pink Stars Falling http://www.flitelab.com

I favorited a YouTube video: Quadrino VC-450 quadcopter MAS 8x6x3 props

I liked a YouTube video:

I liked a YouTube video: AeroVironment video of flight tests of its Nano Hummingbird flapping-wing nano air vehicle, developed for DARPA. Battery-powered and remote-controlled, the hummingbird-like prototype uses flapping wings for propulsion and control. Carring a video ...

I liked a YouTube video: Hokuloa Road Hualalai

I favorited a YouTube video: Cruising around over the trees (as I do) and the quad went into a hard roll. It happened very fast. I tried to safe it, you can hear me try and recover with power as it rolled. I then went for a walk to find it. 600 metres away, in the bush, ther...

I favorited a YouTube video: At the end of October 2011, Thomas Senkel of e-volo made the first manned flight with an e-powered multicopter at an airstrip in the southwest of Germany. The flight lasted one minute and 30 seconds, after which the constructor and test pilot stat...

I commented on a YouTube video: Congratulations, the store looks great and I really enjoyed the Timelapse. Keep up the great work at great hobbies! Franco

Samsung's booming smartphone shipments were estimated to have surpassed those of industry pioneer Apple in the last quarter, making Samsung the world's biggest mobile phone maker by revenue.

(author unknown)

I thought now might be a good time to start on a build thread for my new quadcopter.

Specs:
Motors: BP2217-9
Props: 10x4.7 APC
ESC: 30A PLUSH
Avionics stack:
* DragonOSD
* DragonLink
* CC
* XBee PRO for TLM
* Whatever else I want to try out
Power: Custom CNC'd double sided copper PCB substrait
Battery: 15C 5Ah 3S

Frame materials:
* Rusty BQ-2 (discontinued)
* Rusty CM-1 landing gear
* Floating camera mount plate
* Loads of standoffs and 4-40 hardware

Camera gear:
* GoPro HERO HD

Photos:



Note the use of the extra landing gear plate to cover the CC board. That plate came with the CM-1, but because I wanted a slot to put the battery, I had to order a "Floating camera mount plate" from Rusty in it's place. Instead of using the heavy frame plate to cover the CC, I used the light(er) LG plate which looks like it worked out really well. I did have to remove the rear standoff so that it would not block the USB Minbi B connector on the CC, however.

Details as they come....(author unknown)

The CRTC is investigating Rogers Communications because it believes the way the company deliberately slows down some of its internet traffic violates federal rules.

(author unknown)

The Canadian North airline launched an Inuktitut version of its site Thursday.

(author unknown)

Slashdot runs a discussion named Hackers Briefly Controlled US Government Satellites.

Their summary: "Two U.S. satellites have been tampered with by hackers — possibly Chinese ones — in 2007 and 2008, claims a soon-to-be released report by the the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission. The two satellites, Landsat-7 and Terra AM-1, had been interfered with on four separate occasions, allowing the attackers to be in command of the satellites for two to over twelve minutes each time. Luckily, both of the satellites are used only for observing the Earth's climate and terrain, and the hackers never actually misused their control over them in any way."

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An important Google announcement that will impact all major users of the Google Maps API is the Introduction of usage limits to the Maps API. 

The HEO blog summarizes it this way: "Beyond the free limit of 25,000 views per day, sites will start having to pay $4 per 1,000 views." The details are actually in the Google Maps API FAQ. This 25,000 limit will impact only heavy traffic websites, which may be interested in the more cost-effective Maps API Premier license. But still that's the end of the free Google Maps API. Enforcement will begin in early 2012.

In the Google announcement: "We understand that the introduction of these limits may be concerning. However with the continued growth in adoption of the Maps API we need to secure its long term future by ensuring that even when used by the highest volume for-profit sites, the service remains viable. By introducing these limits we are ensuring that Google can continue to offer the Maps API for free to the vast majority of developers for many years to come."

The second announcement is Google Map Maker now available for Canada. And as a bonus (and less important), here's the official entry for this week's imagery update to Google Maps and Google Earth.

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