4 ms·

Complete outsider doubt: Does this has the potential to replace satellites? Or, why did google project loon failed?

Breza 5y ago
I think it would complement, not replace. There are missions that nicely fit the capabilities of UAS, there are missions that nicely fit the capability of satellites, and there are in-between missions that could benefit from long-duration aircraft like this. I live in the east side of Washington DC. We regularly have police helos flying overhead. I wonder if this kind of platform could supplement their efforts for things like tracking escaping vehicles when the police call off pursuit (car chases are frowned upon here due to the fact that they're so dangerous).
- Breza 5y ago
  Cherry picking examples, UAS will always be best for a construction manager looking at the progress of a highrise, and there's no way an atmospheric vehicle would host a world class space telescope. But things like monitoring deforestation could benefit from a vehicle that can take high-res photos day after day without needing a lot of maintenance and then be packed up and shipped to the arctic to estimate sea ice. A single satellite would have trouble performing both missions.
elif 5y ago
A craft like this is more likely to serve predator/reaper/sentinel missions. Particularly ones in locations you don't want the aesthetics of full state surveilance but still want the same operational capacity.
- Breza 5y ago
  I envision more unarmed uses. I live in Washington DC, where the aesthetics don't matter as much as the operational capability. We're so used to helos flying around that spotting them has become a game: https://twitter.com/HelicoptersofDC https://twitter.com/HelicoptersofDC When a bank teller says "The robbers drove away in a blue car," the police want the ability to roll back the tape and find all the blue cars that left the bank in the past hour and see where they are now.

I think it would complement, not replace. There are missions that nicely fit the capabilities of UAS, there are missions that nicely fit the capability of satellites, and there are in-between missions that could benefit from long-duration aircraft like this. I live in the east side of Washington DC. We regularly have police helos flying overhead. I wonder if this kind of platform could supplement their efforts for things like tracking escaping vehicles when the police call off pursuit (car chases are frowned upon here due to the fact that they're so dangerous).

Breza 5y ago
Cherry picking examples, UAS will always be best for a construction manager looking at the progress of a highrise, and there's no way an atmospheric vehicle would host a world class space telescope. But things like monitoring deforestation could benefit from a vehicle that can take high-res photos day after day without needing a lot of maintenance and then be packed up and shipped to the arctic to estimate sea ice. A single satellite would have trouble performing both missions.

elif 5y ago

A craft like this is more likely to serve predator/reaper/sentinel missions. Particularly ones in locations you don't want the aesthetics of full state surveilance but still want the same operational capacity.

Breza 5y ago
I envision more unarmed uses. I live in Washington DC, where the aesthetics don't matter as much as the operational capability. We're so used to helos flying around that spotting them has become a game: https://twitter.com/HelicoptersofDC https://twitter.com/HelicoptersofDC When a bank teller says "The robbers drove away in a blue car," the police want the ability to roll back the tape and find all the blue cars that left the bank in the past hour and see where they are now.