Skynet anyone?

[yossam]

http://news.yahoo.com/smarter-deadlier-drones-mapped-defense-plan-192252528.html   

[TheBadger]

I would think that if you were a "peer" enemy, but could not stand up to the US jet for jet (like say China). Then rather than attempting to spend trillions trying to catch up. Wouldn't be smarter to just build satilite weapons? So satellites that kill other satellites. Or earth to Orbit munitions, something like this?

Because it seems to me that all of this tech, all relies on satellites. Without satellites none of this stuff works for crap.

Just curious. But I would like to think that there is some hope a person could survive when this tech becomes self aware and decides to kill all humans... or just me.

[Seth]

I would think that if you were a "peer" enemy, but could not stand up to the US jet for jet (like say China). Then rather than attempting to spend trillions trying to catch up. Wouldn't be smarter to just build satilite weapons? So satellites that kill other satellites. Or earth to Orbit munitions, something like this?

Because it seems to me that all of this tech, all relies on satellites. Without satellites none of this stuff works for crap.

Just curious. But I would like to think that there is some hope a person could survive when this tech becomes self aware and decides to kill all humans... or just me.

Don't doubt they are already developing that kind of weaponry

[PabloMack]

Without satellites none of this stuff works for crap.

Autonomous inertially guided systems won't need satellites. That's what they are all about. Satellites are sitting ducks that lie there in orbit with predictable paths. They will be the first to be taken out in a first strike. Autonomous drones only need to be launched and retrieved and their whereabouts are not predictable.

BTW, the cheap RC flying models that cost less than $100 are pretty much all made by the Chinese. I hate to think of "Chinese" and "Swarm Munitions" in the same sentence. It brings back bad memories of the Korean War. Watch a documentary about the "Frozen Chosin" and you'll know what I mean.

I have actually been thinking about getting a drone myself for aerial videography. There are many draw-backs, however, in that you have to travel to a place where there is something worth photographing. You also risk losing a huge investment in a crash. There are also issues of grappling with the legal system and flying over private property. What individuals are doing with these things is absolutely amazing. They are much more robust than they used to be. I saw a video on YouTube about a guy who crashed his quad copter through a window at high speed and the craft was undamaged. Although these things are mostly RC now, their designers are adding autonomy to them as we speak. Some models can return to their launch points after they lose their com links and you can pre-program them to visit way stations. Most use GPS for their navigation.

On the other hand, Terregan can go anywhere at any time you want. You just have to do the research, do the work and have a great imagination. I have to say, so far, Terragen has won out over an RC quad copter. I actually made this trade-off decision within the past couple of years. 

[TheBadger]

You jumped right passed military "A.I." to drones are smarter than humans. If we cant fly through a hurricane or war zone without satellites, how is a drone going to do it?

Without satellites, how do you tell the drone, mission go no go?

Nothing works on a global scale without satellites. You cant even make a phone call.

[PabloMack]

This is a quote from the following link: http://broadbandtoolkit.org/5.4

"The vast majority of international telecommunications traffic is carried by undersea cable systems—more than 95 percent according to some estimates (Bressie 2010). This reflects the advantages of fiber optic cable in terms of bandwidth and latency compared to satellite. Undersea fiber optic cables can transmit data at speeds measured in Tbit/s, while even the newest communication satellites offer speeds below 1 Gbit/s as well as higher latency."

[Hetzen]

Drones are the natural progeression from manned platforms. Higher G turns, longer ranges, longer fly times, smaller, less weight etc.

The self decission process is a long way off from T-800. Even if it had self autonomy it will be pre programmed and vulnerable from predictability.

There have been multiheaded nukes (MIRV) for 3-4 decades now. Those are and have been far more scary.

[jaf]

There's some neat technology in insect sized drones.  I read (somewhere -- don't remember) that someone has learned to mimic insect flight -- the drones actually have movable  wings, like flies or bees.  These fly sized drones could be used in disaster areas like earthquakes to search for victims in cave-ins, etc.  1000 would fit in a cigar box. 

[yossam]

I see very small Hellfire missles in our future..............

[Hetzen]

I see very small Hellfire missles in our future..............

You still need to compensate for weight of munition to size. Chemistry and thermo dynamics still has it's limits.

[TheBadger]

"The vast majority of international telecommunications traffic is carried by undersea cable systems—more than 95 percent

The US government does not send orders from DC to a pilot over china to engage a target by radio or phone bounced from one continent to another.

95% by bulk, not importance.

Also, those under sea cables have all been physically hacked according to recent news reports. CHina and everyone else has seen those reports. YOu cant even make a phone call.

[PabloMack]

YOu cant even make a phone call.

To be honest, I don't know what you are talking about. I think what we have here is a failure to communicate.

[yossam]

Cool Hand Luke...............