U.K. start-up to demo serious flying robo-saucer in 2009

and can barely lift a pair of cameras.

GFS’ Broughton reckons the Coanda saucer is better than ordinary ducted fans, being more stable and easily controllable. According to people who have seen both, the GFS platform offers a “much more stable” video image than the MAV (GFS received a small tech-demo contract from the U.S. military recently). Broughton was also keen to point out that, while the electric GFS machine did not actually compete at the MoD Grand Challenge, this was “purely because of bad weather conditions” rather than any technical issue — though admittedly the short endurance might have limited its contribution had it got stuck in.

Asked if he thought GFS could win future military/security business in the States, Broughton said “we’re ever hopeful. Even a small development deal over there can be $10m, easily — that would be very significant to us. But the MoD doesn’t spread that kind of money around to develop new stuff.” The Register’s Lewis Page suggested that sometimes it does, in fact. Broughton said, “Yes, but we’re not called BAE Systems.”

Another hill for GFS to climb is the issue of autonomous control. The firm’s saucers, rather than directing air straight down like a ducted fan, instead stream fan air over their curved upper surface. The fast airflow reduces pressure on the saucer top, allowing the normal air pressure beneath it to push it up (aircraft wings are also curved on top to make use of this effect, but in their case it is not the only factor in play — otherwise planes could never fly upside down) The saucer controls rotation and side-to-side motion by means of cunning flaps and fins secured to the outer surfaces.

While Broughton says that the Coanda saucer tech provides a more easily controlled platform than an ordinary ducted fan, it provides a unique problem for control software. Systems to let the saucers hover and move about autonomously — requiring no remote piloting — are essential if GFS is to become a serious contender. Hardware is not an issue — the necessary actuators etc. are already in place for the remote controls, so Broughton expects no significant weight penalties. It will not be possible, though, to buy the software off the shelf, as one might with a small helicopter or fixed-wing plane — it will have to be custom built.

For the foreseeable future, GFS saucers seem fated to be