SkyNET Copter Wrecks Wi-Fi Networks In Its Free Time

Well, this thing just looks...frightening! And in more ways than one. Parrot's stable of robo-copters aren't anything new at this point. The company has already shocked the tech/toy world with their first flying objects, but now, the SkyNET is taking things to a new level. And yes, it's really called SkyNET. Straight out of Arnold's Terminator realm, this do-it-yourself robotic helicopter is reportedly cheap to build and easy to operate. But it's more than just a toy. It's a potential threat to your home Wi-Fi network, which makes it all the more interesting.


The device is part helicopter and part technological breakthrough, and it can be configured to hover around and wreck wireless networks. Yes, we suspect the government is intrigued by the idea. The SkyNET can be controlled via a drone console, making it harder to track down. Here's the story: "To catch the bad guy you'd have to figure out that a drone is involved, spot the drone, and follow it back to its owner (assuming the black hat goes to pick it up). Either that or catch it and do a full-blown forensic investigation to figure out who made it." Pretty wild stuff.


As of now, it's just a prototype. It's built on the company's AR Drone quadrocopter core, and it's modified with a Linux computer, 3G card, GPS module and two Wi-Fi cards. One of those is used for control, while the other is used for attacking. Nefarious? Maybe. But wildly cool for the technologically inclined. Reportedly, the entire device can be made for around $600, with the copter itself readily available for $300. We have folks at the Stevens Institute of Technology to thank for this, and we can only wait to hear what kind of real-world usage models they see for this thing. This may very well be the most polarizing toy since the Razer Scooter.