[doctoboggan]

The cell phone industry has massively driven down the costs of the gyros and accelerometers needed to easily fly a quadcoptor. You also mentioned tiny cameras, another component that benefitted from the economies of scale of the cell phone manufacturers..

For example, you can buy a quadcoptor that fits int he palm of your hand for less than $40:

http://www.amazon.com/Estes-4606-Proto-Quadcopter-Black/dp/B...

[baddox]

By the way, that's the best toy quadcopter I've ever used (sample size of 4), and to say it fits in the palm of your hand is overstating its size. Three or four of them would easily fit in the palm of your hand, or the quadcopter and its tiny controller: http://cdn9.modelairplanenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11...

[tlrobinson]

I've got one of those too. I'm actually creeped out by how small it is, like a large dragon fly.

[dronehire]

This is correct. In addition to the plummeting cost of sensors, communities such as DIY Drones and OpenPilot have made enormous contributions to the accessibility of this technology, by developing open-source autopilots that rival the capabilities of very expensive proprietary products.

[Shivetya]

the day isn't that far off where robots get set off to do work either hazardous, monotonous, or even just require constant precision, with regards to vehicle operation. As I posted before and I got the book idea from another here, Red Mars has a great amount of imaginative use of robotic vehicles and manufacturing.

Just like with this drone, besides eliminating some safety concerns we eventually will eliminate the other costly part, not having enough time to do all we want. With enough drones there won't be much we cannot do for time, just money will come up to the forefront.

[pyrocat]

Also the Robot series by Asimov, particularly Caves of Steel / The Naked Sun / The Robots of Dawn. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robot_series_%28Asimov%29