4 ms·

Hate the way the word "drone" is being conflated to mean giant bombing machines and small home helicopters. I imagine this is deliberate. Article feels like p

Hate the way the word "drone" is being conflated to mean giant bombing machines and small home helicopters. I imagine this is deliberate. Article feels like propaganda.

icebraining 12y ago
They're both radio-controlled pilotless flying machines, why wouldn't they both be called drones? Should we stop calling "ship" to the Navy boats, since it's also used for cruises?
- TomGullen 12y ago
  > They're both radio-controlled pilotless flying machines Are you sure the 'drone' in the BBC article pilotless? > Should we stop calling "ship" to the Navy boats, since it's also used for cruises? Probably not, but there's a big ethical debate about drones at the moment and pro media pieces showing "drones are good!" is only going to confuse the debate.
  - icebraining 12y ago
    Are you sure the 'drone' in the BBC article pilotless? By pilotless, I mean without a person inside it. If being remotely controlled disqualifies it as a drone, then neither is Predator a drone. That wouldn't make much sense, would it? Probably not, but there's a big ethical debate about drones at the moment and pro media pieces showing "drones are good!" is only going to confuse the debate. On the other hand, if the media doesn't show that "drones" include private "toys" as well, the backlash may affect them unjustly.
    - TomGullen 12y ago
      > On the other hand, if the media doesn't show that "drones" include private "toys" as well, the backlash may affect them unjustly. Any unjustified backlash restricting people's use of toys is pretty low on my list of things to be concerned about when the bigger issue is mass killing.
      - icebraining 12y ago
        I find it much more likely that the backlash will prevent local drones from flying while mass killing will continue to happen.
      - true_religion 12y ago
        I think the military, with its billion dollar funds, political action groups, and supportive senators will far better survive any anti-drone backlash than a bunch of hobbyists building things out of kits.

Hate the way the word "drone" is being conflated to mean giant bombing machines and small home helicopters. I imagine this is deliberate. Article feels like propaganda.

icebraining 12y ago

They're both radio-controlled pilotless flying machines, why wouldn't they both be called drones? Should we stop calling "ship" to the Navy boats, since it's also used for cruises?

TomGullen 12y ago
> They're both radio-controlled pilotless flying machines Are you sure the 'drone' in the BBC article pilotless? > Should we stop calling "ship" to the Navy boats, since it's also used for cruises? Probably not, but there's a big ethical debate about drones at the moment and pro media pieces showing "drones are good!" is only going to confuse the debate.
- icebraining 12y ago
  Are you sure the 'drone' in the BBC article pilotless? By pilotless, I mean without a person inside it. If being remotely controlled disqualifies it as a drone, then neither is Predator a drone. That wouldn't make much sense, would it? Probably not, but there's a big ethical debate about drones at the moment and pro media pieces showing "drones are good!" is only going to confuse the debate. On the other hand, if the media doesn't show that "drones" include private "toys" as well, the backlash may affect them unjustly.
  - TomGullen 12y ago
    > On the other hand, if the media doesn't show that "drones" include private "toys" as well, the backlash may affect them unjustly. Any unjustified backlash restricting people's use of toys is pretty low on my list of things to be concerned about when the bigger issue is mass killing.
    - icebraining 12y ago
      I find it much more likely that the backlash will prevent local drones from flying while mass killing will continue to happen.
    - true_religion 12y ago
      I think the military, with its billion dollar funds, political action groups, and supportive senators will far better survive any anti-drone backlash than a bunch of hobbyists building things out of kits.