4 ms·

While I would be thrilled to not need any counter-drone military spending at all (there should be an international initiative to ban automated military weapons)

While I would be thrilled to not need any counter-drone military spending at all (there should be an international initiative to ban automated military weapons), if have to spend billions to counter them... I feel safer when the contracts aren't going to Boeing.

credit_guy 5y ago
> there should be an international initiative to ban automated military weapons You think the Houthis will agree to that?
- bpodgursky 5y ago
  The Houthis improvise with existing technology but don't have any real manufacturing capacity. Restrictions on the underlying drone tech would be effective for now. Longer-term, as the technology becomes easier to DIY... if it became unavoidable, it would not be fun, but I am confident the right coalition of the willing could align the Houthis with international weaponry guidelines.
  - jabl 5y ago
    Wasn't there this crazy bloke from New Zeeland that made his own DIY cruise missile? Just for fun, apparently, but he got into trouble with the authorities when they found out?
    - snowgrove 5y ago
      Yep, that’s Bruce Simpson. He still uploads regularly on his YouTube channel, mostly about RC planes and NZ drone regulation: https://youtu.be/o10FzfI4zLA https://youtu.be/o10FzfI4zLA
  - snowgrove 5y ago
    >Restrictions on the underlying drone tech would be effective for now. RC planes have been around for decades and are mechanically very simple. High-performance quadcopters and their component parts and widely available on sites like Ali Express. Everything that’s difficult to DIY in a modern UAV- microchips, gyros, cameras, radios- are necessary component of any regular smartphone. This genie isn’t going back in the bottle.
  - nradov 5y ago
    Houthis get many of their weapons from Iran. No coalition of the willing will stop Iran from selling autonomous weapons short of invading and occupying the country. Is that what you want?
jeffreyrogers 5y ago
I don't see a real difference between drones and guided missiles, even artillery allows you to kill from a distance.
njharman 5y ago
Why not just ban "armed conflict"?
- T-A 5y ago
  How would you enforce that ban?

credit_guy 5y ago

> there should be an international initiative to ban automated military weapons You think the Houthis will agree to that?

bpodgursky 5y ago
The Houthis improvise with existing technology but don't have any real manufacturing capacity. Restrictions on the underlying drone tech would be effective for now. Longer-term, as the technology becomes easier to DIY... if it became unavoidable, it would not be fun, but I am confident the right coalition of the willing could align the Houthis with international weaponry guidelines.
- jabl 5y ago
  Wasn't there this crazy bloke from New Zeeland that made his own DIY cruise missile? Just for fun, apparently, but he got into trouble with the authorities when they found out?
  - snowgrove 5y ago
    Yep, that’s Bruce Simpson. He still uploads regularly on his YouTube channel, mostly about RC planes and NZ drone regulation: https://youtu.be/o10FzfI4zLA https://youtu.be/o10FzfI4zLA
- snowgrove 5y ago
  >Restrictions on the underlying drone tech would be effective for now. RC planes have been around for decades and are mechanically very simple. High-performance quadcopters and their component parts and widely available on sites like Ali Express. Everything that’s difficult to DIY in a modern UAV- microchips, gyros, cameras, radios- are necessary component of any regular smartphone. This genie isn’t going back in the bottle.
- nradov 5y ago
  Houthis get many of their weapons from Iran. No coalition of the willing will stop Iran from selling autonomous weapons short of invading and occupying the country. Is that what you want?

jeffreyrogers 5y ago

I don't see a real difference between drones and guided missiles, even artillery allows you to kill from a distance.

njharman 5y ago

Why not just ban "armed conflict"?

T-A 5y ago
How would you enforce that ban?