Posts Tagged ‘dogfighting’
Test Flight: These Tiny R/C Choppers Are Like Pocket Dogfighters
Gyroscopes and infrared blasters ready radio-controlled helicopters for midair battle
The Tech
The 1.1-ounce choppers self-correct with military-grade gyroscopes, avoid interference from other aircraft by locking in on two of 80 available wireless channels, and add infrared blasters and sensors above the landing gear for combat.
The Test
We pitted two choppers against each other in several 10-minute fights, quickly maneuvering and shooting until one won (it takes three hits to ground a victim). We also paid attention to how well blasts lined up with the kill zone, to make sure no misses scored as hits.
The Results
The copters turn fast and sharp and hover steadily, so you have time to hit the trigger on the controller when you take aim. That swiftness is also handy when on defense: After dodging fire, you can whip around and make easy prey of opponents.
Four More Advanced R/C Vehicles
Four-Wheel Racer
Losi’s 1/24-scale racer is among the smallest four-wheel-drive rally cars. Its comparatively wide axles and power delivery to all four wheels help it hug corners on any surface, be it dirt or pavement. Losi 1/24 Micro rally RTR: $110; losi.com
Wake Maker
Capable of over 50 mph on flat water, the Spartan is the world’s fastest consumer R/C boat. It keeps from overheating by feeding water through an inlet in the rudder and into a silicone jacket around its waterproof motor. Traxxas Spartan: $400; traxxas.com
Sprint-Car Powerhouse
This quarter-scale car’s 23.5-cc engine has more than triple the power of other R/Cs. It runs on the same fuel as a full-scale car, while 2.2 horsepower pushes it to a blistering 50 mph. Bob’s Motorsports Bullseye Sprint Car: $2,125; bullseye.9f.com
Precision Flier
Most micro-R/C planes are harder to control than larger models because they don’t have ailerons, hinged wing surfaces, for precise maneuvering. But this 14-inch flier can even corkscrew, thanks to its 6.5-inch ailerons. ParkZone Sukhoi SU-26xp BNf: $100; parkzone.com
National Forensic Canine DNA Database To Help Combat Dogfighting
“We can tie blood spatter on pit walls and clothing, or blood trails found outside of the pit, to a specific dog and tell his story for him,” says Beth Wictum, director of the forensics unit of the Veterinary Genetics Laboratory in at the University of California-Davis veterinary school, in a press release. “We become the voice for those victims.”
The Canine Combined DNA Index System, or Canine CODIS, includes more DNA markers than are normally tested, allowing for better comparisons. That provides more power when calculating match probability, which is then used in criminal proceedings. The database will be maintained at UC-Davis, and law enforcement agencies will be able to pay a fee to have dog DNA analyzed and matched.
Blood collected from dog fighting sites will also be checked against the database to identify the animals, UC Davis says.
The canine CODIS is similar to the human one, which law enforcement officials use to match suspects to DNA profiles found at crime scenes.
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the Humane Society of Missouri and the Louisiana SPCA established the database using DNA from dogs seized in investigations, along with unidentified samples collected at dog-fighting venues.
It includes DNA from dogs seized in a near St. Louis last year, the largest in the country. More than 400 dogs were seized after an 18-month investigation and more than two dozen people in Missouri and Illinois were arrested.