A Library in Florida Will Let You Check Out an Aerial Drone

(Image: CNN)

One of the major trends in libraries in the United States is the development of makerspaces--places where library users can build or fix physical or digital objects. A library may provide tools, such as 3D printers, CNC mills, laser cutters, and digital production hardware to patrons who wouldn't be able to afford them on their own. The purpose of a makerspace is to introduce patrons to emerging technologies and give them the skills that they need for future.

The library of the University of South Florida in Tampa is offering a new take on the makerspace trend. It's offering to students a tech tool facility that includes an aerial drone. It's a 5-pound 4-rotor remote-controlled vehicle. This is a circulating item--meaning that students can check it out.


(Video Link)

Students who want to fly the drone must meet certain requirements:

Students will need to enroll in a training course before they can check out the equipment. They'll also be required to provide an explanation on how the drone will be utilized in a school project, and they must be supervised by a faculty member while operating it around the campus. As of now, the program aims to keep the drones on USF's campus unless a professor makes the case for an exception, and students will be liable for any damages to the equipment.

-via Library Journal


Comments (0)

I found it quite amusing.

Still though, it seems that on the one mac versus one pc battle, the PC had the upper hand... so in the millions of pcs versus thousands of macs battle...
Abusive comment hidden. (Show it anyway.)
You don't need a contest to know or prove that Macs are superior to PCs in every way. Just use one.
P.S. To anyone who argues that more people own PCs than Macs - just because something's popular doesn't mean it's any good.
Abusive comment hidden. (Show it anyway.)
Geez, it can be made on either. Seriously people, the only difference there has been between these two types is just a frigg'in OS. That's it, it's been that way for years. All the large software developers make their product available to both. Only difference hardware wise is a Mac's closed architecture prevents compatibility issues from coming up (which on PCs these days just happens with video cards ATI vs nVidia). It's also great if your idea of upgrading is throwing out the old machine and getting a new one. But that's no me, I like tweaking, I like gutting PCs and upgrading things myself. Laptops on the other hand for PC and Mac are closed architecture to begin with (unless you know what your doing). I hear Mac Books are popular, but I don't know what sales are like between the two and I doubt I really care.
Abusive comment hidden. (Show it anyway.)
If you have the computer-savy to do it, opensource is the way to go.

One of the things that people never seem to bring up is the fact that Mac doesn't make hard-core servers like the kind businesses would need. When has anyone ever walked into a server room o a major business and seen towers and racks of Macs? If Mac did make a competitive server and started getting it out there, maybe they could get the sales like Windows does.
Abusive comment hidden. (Show it anyway.)
I work w/ Mac for over 10 years, as a video and film editor. Just to try, I decided to give a shot to PC, so i bought a very robust computer that I build myself,customized for video & graphics. The truth is...I discover that PC is better. Why?,because my mac cost me a lot in repairs over the years, w/ the dam randomly shut down problem.New prosessors, new logic board, new hard drives (2),So much problems, and a lousy mac support, but I always was a Mac fan and user.
Today ,Iam editing and doing all my work w adobe in the PC, and I will keep on. My Mac is in a desk, broke again, death! The quality of my work is exactly the same,and the beauty of all this is, that if my PC brake,the parts won't cost so crazy like Mac parts.
When you are serious in video and graphics, you use the computer many many hours, and the machines are in a risk that anything can happen after hundreds of hours of work. You believe this, I pay 800.00 for a logic board for a mac! With that, you can buy a PC! Conclussion: I will never go back to Mac! Now I am doing the same work and the maintenance is costing me le$$$$!
Abusive comment hidden. (Show it anyway.)
Login to comment.
Click here to access all of this post's 0 comments
Email This Post to a Friend
"A Library in Florida Will Let You Check Out an Aerial Drone"

Separate multiple emails with a comma. Limit 5.

 

Success! Your email has been sent!

close window
X

This website uses cookies.

This website uses cookies to improve user experience. By using this website you consent to all cookies in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

I agree
 
Learn More