2 ms·

I wonder if using a lower tech solution, birds of prey, would be a better option then regulation?

by erric 8y ago

cm2187 8y ago
Drones are cheaper to buy in volume than it is to train birds.
- erric 8y ago
  Indeed! Here’s one example[0] So LE should get counter-drones. But then the “bad guys” will get anti-counter-drones. [0] https://www.theverge.com/2017/12/12/16767000/police-netherlands-eagles-rogue-drones https://www.theverge.com/2017/12/12/16767000/police-netherla...
  - croon 8y ago
    > So LE should get counter-drones. But then the “bad guys” will get anti-counter-drones. This reminds me of the not well aged The Big Hit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iw3G80bplTg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iw3G80bplTg
  - mmirate 8y ago
    Right, in military aviation that's just the dichotomy between bombers and fighters. Of course your enemy won't send unescorted bombers if they know you have fighters. That's why victory requires that your own fighters maintain air superiority.
    - nradov 8y ago
      The US Air Force has sent unescorted B-2 bombers into enemy territory prior to establishing air superiority.
      - ceejayoz 8y ago
        That's kinda a special case, and it's generally done with a bunch of fighters ready to go intervene if necessary. It works well on Syria. I doubt it'd work well on Russia/China.
        nradov 8y ago
        There were no fighters ready to go "intervene". What would be the point? Fighters don't have the range or speed to get there in time to accomplish anything. The B-2 was specifically designed to penetrate Russian (Soviet) airspace. Hopefully we'll never find out whether it works.
        ceejayoz 8y ago
        An F-15 can cross Syria's widest dimension in about five minutes at top speed. Having fighter escorts loitering in the general vicinity isn't uncommon on a B-2 run - they can jam, distract, and assist in an escape in the event the B-2 is detected and attacked by enemy fighters. Any B-2 run on Russia/China would've been a "hope some get through" sort of scenario. There's no reason to take that sort of risk on a $2B aircraft when dealing with a country like Libya or Syria.
      - mmirate 8y ago
        B-2 can do that because it is purpose-designed to avoid radar detection, and because it can remain a considerable distance above the target, letting gravity and aerodynamics do the last bit of the work in guiding the bomb to the target, which is generally building-sized not person-sized. How do you propose that we stealth a drone that has to fly literally right to the target's face?
Spooky23 8y ago
My cousin happens to be a falconer. There is a robust regulatory regime at the Federal and State level for keeping, training and hunting birds of prey. There are significant penalties, including Federal felony-level offenses for straying from the path. You're probably going to get in more trouble for abusing birds than whatever you're doing.

I wonder if using a lower tech solution, birds of prey, would be a better option then regulation?

by erric 8y ago

I wonder if using a lower tech solution, birds of prey, would be a better option then regulation?

cm2187 8y ago

Drones are cheaper to buy in volume than it is to train birds.

erric 8y ago
Indeed! Here’s one example[0] So LE should get counter-drones. But then the “bad guys” will get anti-counter-drones. [0] https://www.theverge.com/2017/12/12/16767000/police-netherlands-eagles-rogue-drones https://www.theverge.com/2017/12/12/16767000/police-netherla...
- croon 8y ago
  > So LE should get counter-drones. But then the “bad guys” will get anti-counter-drones. This reminds me of the not well aged The Big Hit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iw3G80bplTg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iw3G80bplTg
- mmirate 8y ago
  Right, in military aviation that's just the dichotomy between bombers and fighters. Of course your enemy won't send unescorted bombers if they know you have fighters. That's why victory requires that your own fighters maintain air superiority.
  - nradov 8y ago
    The US Air Force has sent unescorted B-2 bombers into enemy territory prior to establishing air superiority.
    - ceejayoz 8y ago
      That's kinda a special case, and it's generally done with a bunch of fighters ready to go intervene if necessary. It works well on Syria. I doubt it'd work well on Russia/China.
      - nradov 8y ago
        There were no fighters ready to go "intervene". What would be the point? Fighters don't have the range or speed to get there in time to accomplish anything. The B-2 was specifically designed to penetrate Russian (Soviet) airspace. Hopefully we'll never find out whether it works.
        ceejayoz 8y ago
        An F-15 can cross Syria's widest dimension in about five minutes at top speed. Having fighter escorts loitering in the general vicinity isn't uncommon on a B-2 run - they can jam, distract, and assist in an escape in the event the B-2 is detected and attacked by enemy fighters. Any B-2 run on Russia/China would've been a "hope some get through" sort of scenario. There's no reason to take that sort of risk on a $2B aircraft when dealing with a country like Libya or Syria.
    - mmirate 8y ago
      B-2 can do that because it is purpose-designed to avoid radar detection, and because it can remain a considerable distance above the target, letting gravity and aerodynamics do the last bit of the work in guiding the bomb to the target, which is generally building-sized not person-sized. How do you propose that we stealth a drone that has to fly literally right to the target's face?

Spooky23 8y ago

My cousin happens to be a falconer. There is a robust regulatory regime at the Federal and State level for keeping, training and hunting birds of prey. There are significant penalties, including Federal felony-level offenses for straying from the path. You're probably going to get in more trouble for abusing birds than whatever you're doing.