4 ms·

I suppose intent matters too. A drone hitting a plane by mistake is apparently not unlike a bird strike, but how do you tell if a given drone has an explosive p

I suppose intent matters too. A drone hitting a plane by mistake is apparently not unlike a bird strike, but how do you tell if a given drone has an explosive payload and is being aimed intentionally at an engine intake? It's only a matter of time. It makes sense to keep drones out of airport flightpaths. More sense than most of the post-911 security theatre, at least.

NinjaViking 10y ago
And do you think that somebody who packs his drone with C4 and aims it at passenger aircraft is going to care if he is violating a flightpath? Forbidden is not the same as impossible.
- Avshalom 10y ago
  Right but 'it is illegal to put a drone in this airspace' gives us permission to shoot down anything in a flight path before impact, including the ones with C4.
  - arjie 10y ago
    What weapons does one use to shoot down a toy drone? You can't miss because on the other side, there are people, and if it hits, it shouldn't lead to dangerous parts all over the runway.
    - Avshalom 10y ago
      I think right now the idea is generally a bigger faster one with a net.
      - arjie 10y ago
        That's a clever one. More importantly, it makes for an amusing picture.
        kaybe 10y ago
        Not as cool as hunting birds though, which is being tried too. Drones are probably more practical, I guess.
        Piskvorrr 10y ago
        Now you have two problems, as in "Engine 1 ate the drone, while Engine 2 ate the eagle."
      - etherael 10y ago
        I've seen that, but wouldn't a laser actually be more reliable / faster?
        Avshalom 10y ago
        Well like arjie said, you don't really want flying debris near people/runways
        etherael 10y ago
        And maybe the energy necessary to actually vaporise entirely would not be the kind of thing one would be wanting to punch up into the atmosphere willy nilly.
        Piskvorrr 10y ago
        Not to mention that you actually need an actual cannon, not a pointer. http://www.defense-aerospace.com/articles-view/feature/5/159975/2015-ushers-in-era-of-laser-weapons.html http://www.defense-aerospace.com/articles-view/feature/5/159... Yup, that's definitely something you want to mess with around an airport. "Wait, I was supposed to shoot down that other blip?"
        deleted 10y ago
        [deleted]

NinjaViking 10y ago

And do you think that somebody who packs his drone with C4 and aims it at passenger aircraft is going to care if he is violating a flightpath? Forbidden is not the same as impossible.

Avshalom 10y ago
Right but 'it is illegal to put a drone in this airspace' gives us permission to shoot down anything in a flight path before impact, including the ones with C4.
- arjie 10y ago
  What weapons does one use to shoot down a toy drone? You can't miss because on the other side, there are people, and if it hits, it shouldn't lead to dangerous parts all over the runway.
  - Avshalom 10y ago
    I think right now the idea is generally a bigger faster one with a net.
    - arjie 10y ago
      That's a clever one. More importantly, it makes for an amusing picture.
      - kaybe 10y ago
        Not as cool as hunting birds though, which is being tried too. Drones are probably more practical, I guess.
        Piskvorrr 10y ago
        Now you have two problems, as in "Engine 1 ate the drone, while Engine 2 ate the eagle."
    - etherael 10y ago
      I've seen that, but wouldn't a laser actually be more reliable / faster?
      - Avshalom 10y ago
        Well like arjie said, you don't really want flying debris near people/runways
        etherael 10y ago
        And maybe the energy necessary to actually vaporise entirely would not be the kind of thing one would be wanting to punch up into the atmosphere willy nilly.
        Piskvorrr 10y ago
        Not to mention that you actually need an actual cannon, not a pointer. http://www.defense-aerospace.com/articles-view/feature/5/159975/2015-ushers-in-era-of-laser-weapons.html http://www.defense-aerospace.com/articles-view/feature/5/159... Yup, that's definitely something you want to mess with around an airport. "Wait, I was supposed to shoot down that other blip?"
        deleted 10y ago
        [deleted]