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A few questions come to mind: 1. Does the protection extend to allowing airplanes to takeoff/land during a storm? 2. Can this be weaponized? 3. Can this prot

by htag 3y ago

A few questions come to mind: 1. Does the protection extend to allowing airplanes to takeoff/land during a storm? 2. Can this be weaponized? 3. Can this protect forests from lightning initiated forest fires?

dsq 3y ago
Lightning is sky to ground, so weaponization is definitely in the cards. Lasers themselves are line of sight, so a ground based laser can only be used against ab aerial target, and an airborne laser will always be far weaker than a lightning bolt.
CoastalCoder 3y ago
> Can this be weaponized? I expect the only limit here is human imagination. E.g., Hitler weaponized a microphone.
- deleted 3y ago
  [deleted]
DaiPlusPlus 3y ago
> Can this be weaponized? Kinda reminds me of Unreal Tournament's lightning gun, except they use a proton beam instead of a laser to guide the lightning bolt: > "The Lightning Gun is a high-power energy rifle capable of ablating even the heaviest carapace armor. Acquisition of a target at long range requires a steady hand, but the anti-jitter effect of the optical system reduces the weapon's learning curve significantly. Once the target has been acquired, the operator depresses the trigger, painting a proton "patch" on the target. Milliseconds later the rifle emits a high voltage arc of electricity, which seeks out the charge differential and annihilates the target." https://unreal.fandom.com/wiki/Lightning_Gun https://unreal.fandom.com/wiki/Lightning_Gun
- randmeerkat 3y ago
  Could we please get a modern reboot of Unreal Tournament?
kazinator 3y ago
> 2. Can this be weaponized? You mean, better than just using the laser to strike your target? Probably not.
c2xlZXB5 3y ago
I am a private pilot (training for instrument rating) so I believe I can help answer the first question. Lightning is typically not the biggest problem with flying through thunderstorms. To my knowledge, it is the wind shear[1] that is most dangerous. There's also icing and hail that you may have to worry about. [1] https://www.weather.gov/media/zhu/ZHU_Training_Page/llws/thunderstorm_windshear/thunderstorm_windshear.pdf https://www.weather.gov/media/zhu/ZHU_Training_Page/llws/thu...

by htag 3y ago

dsq 3y ago

Lightning is sky to ground, so weaponization is definitely in the cards. Lasers themselves are line of sight, so a ground based laser can only be used against ab aerial target, and an airborne laser will always be far weaker than a lightning bolt.

CoastalCoder 3y ago

> Can this be weaponized? I expect the only limit here is human imagination. E.g., Hitler weaponized a microphone.

deleted 3y ago
[deleted]

DaiPlusPlus 3y ago

> Can this be weaponized? Kinda reminds me of Unreal Tournament's lightning gun, except they use a proton beam instead of a laser to guide the lightning bolt: > "The Lightning Gun is a high-power energy rifle capable of ablating even the heaviest carapace armor. Acquisition of a target at long range requires a steady hand, but the anti-jitter effect of the optical system reduces the weapon's learning curve significantly. Once the target has been acquired, the operator depresses the trigger, painting a proton "patch" on the target. Milliseconds later the rifle emits a high voltage arc of electricity, which seeks out the charge differential and annihilates the target." https://unreal.fandom.com/wiki/Lightning_Gun https://unreal.fandom.com/wiki/Lightning_Gun

randmeerkat 3y ago
Could we please get a modern reboot of Unreal Tournament?

kazinator 3y ago

> 2. Can this be weaponized? You mean, better than just using the laser to strike your target? Probably not.

c2xlZXB5 3y ago

I am a private pilot (training for instrument rating) so I believe I can help answer the first question. Lightning is typically not the biggest problem with flying through thunderstorms. To my knowledge, it is the wind shear[1] that is most dangerous. There's also icing and hail that you may have to worry about. [1] https://www.weather.gov/media/zhu/ZHU_Training_Page/llws/thunderstorm_windshear/thunderstorm_windshear.pdf https://www.weather.gov/media/zhu/ZHU_Training_Page/llws/thu...