After spending years developing a robotic spy plane that operates at 65,000 feet and costs $123 million apiece, Northrop Grumman has developed a new perspective on aerial surveillance.

In a more down-to-earth approach, the company has been developing small robotic “flying wings” in San Diego that are designed to operate in flocks of four or more aircraft. Such aircraft would be made at a fraction of the cost of the Global Hawk, Northrop’s high-altitude spy plane, and would fly less than 1,500 feet above the ground.

The concept behind the new unmanned aircraft, dubbed “Killer Bees,” is based on an idea that can be found in almost any casino. Mounted in the ceiling above each gaming table is a small, relatively inexpensive camera linked to a sophisticated surveillance network.

Source and more info: tmcnet