Drones

[jsc]

http://www.tomsguide.com/us/FAA-UAV-Drone-combat-military,news-13324.html

 

[l0ckd0wn]

http://www.tomsguide.com/us/FAA-UAV-Drone-combat-military,news-13324.html

That is awesome! This is one military technology I am happy that it has been developed! I actually look forward to commercial planes without pilots.

However, I'm not pleased about the information security of our military, which scares the H*** out of me considering I work in IT:
Computer virus hits US Predator and Reaper drone fleet

 

[chunkymonster]

That is awesome! This is one military technology I am happy that it has been developed! I actually look forward to commercial planes without pilots.

Call me old fashioned but I'll take a human physically in the cockpit over some joystick jockey sitting in a recliner hundreds or thousands of miles away when I take a commercial flight.

Using the drones for crop-dusting, border patrols, search and rescue, or archaeology is just pragmatic and a good use of tax dollars.

However my main concern, as stated in the article...

their main effect would almost certainly be the continued militarization civilian law enforcement.

...it's already bad enough that Municipal and State police have access to technology and weapons that are illegal for average American citizen to own. If the Patriot Act has taught us anything, the last thing we need is to give Federal or State law enforcement increased domestic surveillance capabilities. Rather see those same tax dollars spent on hiring more police or simply returned to the States and Municipalities to spend on essential services.

To quote Benjamin Franklin...

Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.

 

[jsc]

I actually look forward to commercial planes without pilots.

Not me. And considering you work in IT,

 

[wanamingo]

Im pretty sure new airliners can land themselves. Might need someone with more experience to answer that.....

Everything is automated by computers now anyway, every time you fly you place your life in the cold cold hands of a computer.

PS: Skynet

 

[l0ckd0wn]

However my main concern, as stated in the article...

their main effect would almost certainly be the continued militarization civilian law enforcement.

...it's already bad enough that Municipal and State police have access to technology and weapons that are illegal for average American citizen to own. If the Patriot Act has taught us anything, the last thing we need is to give Federal or State law enforcement increased domestic surveillance capabilities. Rather see those same tax dollars spent on hiring more police or simply returned to the States and Municipalities to spend on essential services.

To quote Benjamin Franklin...

Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.

I wholeheartedly agree man. I didn't like the post 9/11 streamlining of law enforcement from lowest officer to federal high command. I do see this as an alternative to the expensive helicopters as they mentioned in the article. I've been listening to a lot of the OWS/LA stuff on NPR lately (KPCC out of Pasadena, CA) and one of the topics that came up was militarization of local law enforcement, talking about the increased presence of SWAT which were primarily used for drug raids, now being used for other civilian problems.

Not me. And considering you work in IT,

Hey, now, I'm a technologist and embrace technology as the way to move forward as a species. Eventually this will be a norm, but the timeline hasn't been written yet. I do not think we are ready for this type of deployment now.

Yeah, I want guys like this at the "stick".

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/01/15/chelsey-sullenberger-us-a_n_158331.html

Agreed wholeheartedly, but who's to say that the same type of maneuvering and decision making couldn't be made on the ground? If these drones are already piloted by persons on the ground, it's not to fantastic to think that the same thing could happen with commercial aircraft. Again, I don't think we are there yet, but I see a stark reality of this in the future (and no I'm not thinking about iRobot! 😛 )

Im pretty sure new airliners can land themselves. Might need someone with more experience to answer that.....

Everything is automated by computers now anyway, every time you fly you place your life in the cold cold hands of a computer.

PS: Skynet

Don't know for sure, but I have a friend who works in the industry, coming up with the flight regulations on a global scale. He moved to Switzerland so I'll have to see if I can get a hold of him on FB.

 

[Reynod]

Yeah, I want guys like this at the "stick".

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/01/15/chelsey-sullenberger-us-a_n_158331.html

Yeah ... I want this guy flying any plane I am stuck in too.

Legend.