CNN: Robot chopper documents Katrina's power: 'Flying camera' may be ready for next hurricane season

By Marsha Walton, CNN
Friday, December 9, 2005; Posted: 12:20 p.m. EST (17:20 GMT)

BILOXI, Mississippi (CNN) -- "And let's go out over the motel roof so we can get the seams ... go out a little further... alright that's good, hold there."

Kevin Pratt communicated with the other members of the helicopter flight team to shoot the best angles of video of two Katrina damaged structures.

What was unique about this flight? The four-person crew was on the ground, while the camera-carrying, 10-pound robotic aircraft flew around the buildings.

Headed by University of South Florida robotics professor Robin Murphy, the team documented damage to multistory buildings hit hard by the hurricane.

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