4 ms·

I have to wonder when it will switch to small, inexpensive drones instead of the larger, jet-type ones. Imagine fighting against a swarm of 10,000 drones (each

I have to wonder when it will switch to small, inexpensive drones instead of the larger, jet-type ones. Imagine fighting against a swarm of 10,000 drones (each with a small explosive, EMP, etc). Similar to the Fire Bats[0] in WWII. [0] https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Bat_bomb https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Bat_bomb

jonas21 6y ago
There was a discussion on HN a few days ago about classifying autonomous drone swarms as WMD: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23423240 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23423240
- redis_mlc 6y ago
  Militaries use cluster bombs and area artillery, so that ship sailed decades ago.
throw1234651234 6y ago
Never. Those things will get burnt by laser weapons if they are too small to be efficiently targeted by cannons and missiles. They also won't have range, payload for missiles with range, etc.
- kevin_thibedeau 6y ago
  They can be useful for other roles. Surveillance, ECM, flying in formation and coordinating to simulate a larger aircraft, tricking passive radar sites to go active, etc.
  - throw1234651234 6y ago
    Mainly these two out of your list - surveillance and tricking passive radar sites to go active. The former is being done today, the latter is being solved by loitering munitions that hang around until a site does go active.
  - PeterisP 6y ago
    Surveillance is one area where large drones are preferrable because of their capability to loiter for a long time and further reach.
matheusmoreira 6y ago
> Imagine fighting against a swarm of 10,000 drones There are examples in media! Many mechas from the Gundam series use funnels, a form of drone, in order to overwhelm a single enemy or attack multiple ones: https://youtu.be/qc6ME9S_qps?t=1m5s https://youtu.be/qc6ME9S_qps?t=1m5s Ace Combat 7 features a massive battle against an airborne UAV carrier and its swarm of drones: https://youtu.be/JQJpRwkXHj4?t=19m50s https://youtu.be/JQJpRwkXHj4?t=19m50s Sometimes the entire screen is filled with targets!
- EGreg 6y ago
  No need to imagine Fiction: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9CO6M2HsoIA https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9CO6M2HsoIA Reality: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ndFKUKHfuM0 https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ndFKUKHfuM0 https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=BF1sJjk66rU https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=BF1sJjk66rU https://www.theverge.com/2019/8/9/20799148/darpa-drones-robots-swarm-military-test https://www.theverge.com/2019/8/9/20799148/darpa-drones-robo...
  - jotm 6y ago
    That sound they make is extremely ominous, damn
sillypuddy 6y ago
Aren't they just rockets at some point?

jonas21 6y ago

There was a discussion on HN a few days ago about classifying autonomous drone swarms as WMD: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23423240 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23423240

redis_mlc 6y ago
Militaries use cluster bombs and area artillery, so that ship sailed decades ago.

throw1234651234 6y ago

Never. Those things will get burnt by laser weapons if they are too small to be efficiently targeted by cannons and missiles. They also won't have range, payload for missiles with range, etc.

kevin_thibedeau 6y ago
They can be useful for other roles. Surveillance, ECM, flying in formation and coordinating to simulate a larger aircraft, tricking passive radar sites to go active, etc.
- throw1234651234 6y ago
  Mainly these two out of your list - surveillance and tricking passive radar sites to go active. The former is being done today, the latter is being solved by loitering munitions that hang around until a site does go active.
- PeterisP 6y ago
  Surveillance is one area where large drones are preferrable because of their capability to loiter for a long time and further reach.

matheusmoreira 6y ago

> Imagine fighting against a swarm of 10,000 drones There are examples in media! Many mechas from the Gundam series use funnels, a form of drone, in order to overwhelm a single enemy or attack multiple ones: https://youtu.be/qc6ME9S_qps?t=1m5s https://youtu.be/qc6ME9S_qps?t=1m5s Ace Combat 7 features a massive battle against an airborne UAV carrier and its swarm of drones: https://youtu.be/JQJpRwkXHj4?t=19m50s https://youtu.be/JQJpRwkXHj4?t=19m50s Sometimes the entire screen is filled with targets!

EGreg 6y ago
No need to imagine Fiction: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9CO6M2HsoIA https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9CO6M2HsoIA Reality: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ndFKUKHfuM0 https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ndFKUKHfuM0 https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=BF1sJjk66rU https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=BF1sJjk66rU https://www.theverge.com/2019/8/9/20799148/darpa-drones-robots-swarm-military-test https://www.theverge.com/2019/8/9/20799148/darpa-drones-robo...
- jotm 6y ago
  That sound they make is extremely ominous, damn

sillypuddy 6y ago

Aren't they just rockets at some point?