All I want to say is that if somebody out there is thinking about doing an XS project but is afraid to take the plunge, don't be. After linking to ffmpeg and SDL in UAV::Pilot, I can say that it's not nearly as difficult as it seems, and you can figure it out if you just try.
As a result, UAV::Pilot may be the only library in any language for the AR.Drone that can handle the video stream in realtime inside its own framework. Nodecopter has a plugin that shuttles it the video to a browser, and others rely on VLC. My search was by no means exhaustive, but it appears that UAV::Pilot is the only one.
"There is no shame in being self-taught, only in not trying to learn in the first place." -- Atrus, Myst: The Book of D'ni.