5 ms·

This will be interesting ... lots of things (prisons, nuclear power plants, the White House) are built with the assumption that the average person can't just fl

This will be interesting ... lots of things (prisons, nuclear power plants, the White House) are built with the assumption that the average person can't just fly something over a 18-foot high razor wire fence. Wonder how people are going to deal with the fact that many security measures are now significantly reduced in effectiveness.

lachenmayer 15y ago
...build cages instead of fences.
- noonespecial 15y ago
  Keep the president in a cage? I'm liking this idea already.
Groxx 15y ago
Cameras. Defensive tools (ie, guns) where it matters. Etc. I doubt it'll be an issue for the same reason I doubt it's been a major issue that bolt / wire cutters are available in any hardware store. The physical barrier isn't the only thing that prevents people from crossing it and causing havoc.
StavrosK 15y ago
I'm pretty sure the average person can easily rent a helicopter for a few hours. A Greek prisoner escaped that way, with a bit of help from his friends.
gvb 15y ago
Never say never but, WRT nuclear power plants... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Containment_building http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Containment_building "In 1988, Sandia National Laboratories conducted a test of slamming a jet fighter into a large concrete block at 481 miles per hour (775 km/h). The airplane left only a 2.5-inch-deep (64 mm) gouge in the concrete. Although the block was not constructed like a containment building missile shield, it was not anchored, etc., the results were considered indicative. A subsequent study by EPRI, the Electric Power Research Institute, concluded that commercial airliners did not pose a danger." WRT prisons, landing with an airplane is going to be challenging (minimum landing distance is 500m) and taking off is likely impossible (minimum take-off distance is 520m[1]). Given the improbability of leaving the prison, it will be a self-correcting issue. ;-) [1] http://www.aircraftcompare.com/helicopter-airplane/Terrafugia-Transition/289 http://www.aircraftcompare.com/helicopter-airplane/Terrafugi...
- wlievens 15y ago
  People simply use helicopters to escape from prison: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_helicopter_prison_escapes http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_helicopter_prison_escap...
neutronicus 15y ago
The thing still needs a runway...
barefoot 15y ago
In order to use the Vehicle as a plane you still need to have at least a sport pilot license - which is kind of like a restricted pilots license. In order to get your sport license you need to learn, and are tested on, the airspace limitations that apply to all pilots. Those rules effectively stipulate* that you can't fly over a large portion of DC, including the White House, and should not fly or loiter anywhere near power plants, prisons, etc... If you break those rules, even innocently, the FAA can come down hard on you by revoking your license and fining you thousands of dollars. Depending on how sensitive the area is and how suspicious you appear they can send other aircraft to your location and (in the case of the DC FRZ) potentially shoot you down. Once you've been indoctrinated into the system you learn to be extremely aware of where you are, what is nearby, and to stay away from sensitive areas. *There are ways, at least for private pilots, to legally fly over a lot of restricted areas but it's much easier to just fly around them or not bother.
natesm 15y ago
You might enjoy this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_helicopter_prison_escapes http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_helicopter_prison_escap... Especially this guy, who did it twice: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vassilis_Paleokostas http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vassilis_Paleokostas

lachenmayer 15y ago

...build cages instead of fences.

noonespecial 15y ago
Keep the president in a cage? I'm liking this idea already.

Groxx 15y ago

Cameras. Defensive tools (ie, guns) where it matters. Etc. I doubt it'll be an issue for the same reason I doubt it's been a major issue that bolt / wire cutters are available in any hardware store. The physical barrier isn't the only thing that prevents people from crossing it and causing havoc.

StavrosK 15y ago

I'm pretty sure the average person can easily rent a helicopter for a few hours. A Greek prisoner escaped that way, with a bit of help from his friends.

gvb 15y ago

Never say never but, WRT nuclear power plants... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Containment_building http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Containment_building "In 1988, Sandia National Laboratories conducted a test of slamming a jet fighter into a large concrete block at 481 miles per hour (775 km/h). The airplane left only a 2.5-inch-deep (64 mm) gouge in the concrete. Although the block was not constructed like a containment building missile shield, it was not anchored, etc., the results were considered indicative. A subsequent study by EPRI, the Electric Power Research Institute, concluded that commercial airliners did not pose a danger." WRT prisons, landing with an airplane is going to be challenging (minimum landing distance is 500m) and taking off is likely impossible (minimum take-off distance is 520m[1]). Given the improbability of leaving the prison, it will be a self-correcting issue. ;-) [1] http://www.aircraftcompare.com/helicopter-airplane/Terrafugia-Transition/289 http://www.aircraftcompare.com/helicopter-airplane/Terrafugi...

wlievens 15y ago
People simply use helicopters to escape from prison: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_helicopter_prison_escapes http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_helicopter_prison_escap...

neutronicus 15y ago

The thing still needs a runway...

barefoot 15y ago

In order to use the Vehicle as a plane you still need to have at least a sport pilot license - which is kind of like a restricted pilots license. In order to get your sport license you need to learn, and are tested on, the airspace limitations that apply to all pilots. Those rules effectively stipulate* that you can't fly over a large portion of DC, including the White House, and should not fly or loiter anywhere near power plants, prisons, etc... If you break those rules, even innocently, the FAA can come down hard on you by revoking your license and fining you thousands of dollars. Depending on how sensitive the area is and how suspicious you appear they can send other aircraft to your location and (in the case of the DC FRZ) potentially shoot you down. Once you've been indoctrinated into the system you learn to be extremely aware of where you are, what is nearby, and to stay away from sensitive areas. *There are ways, at least for private pilots, to legally fly over a lot of restricted areas but it's much easier to just fly around them or not bother.

natesm 15y ago

You might enjoy this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_helicopter_prison_escapes http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_helicopter_prison_escap... Especially this guy, who did it twice: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vassilis_Paleokostas http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vassilis_Paleokostas