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Ask HN: Why can't we drop satellite phones into Nepal?
Listening to the BBC News this evening, one of the big challenges dealing with the earthquake in Nepal is not knowing what's going on in remote areas.
So why are the aid agencies not dropping satellite phones (preferably with one simple button to make a call to the aid agency), using drones or - going back to WW2 technology - doing parachute drops of essential supplies to remote areas?
Lack of money, lack of technology, or unworkable?
- deleted 12y ago[deleted]
- MalcolmDiggs 12y agoThat's an interesting question. Do you happen to have a link to the segment you were listening to? If not, could you clarify what you mean by "not knowing what's going on"? Was the problem a lack of physical access (terrain issues), or a lack of realtime satellite images (weather issues), or a lack of actual communication mechanisms, or other?
- porker 12y agoI don't see a way to link to the segment (full programme at http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b05rkpzf http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b05rkpzf - Nepal is the first 10 minutes). The problem is firstly a lack of actual communication mechanisms, as the telephone network has been knocked out, and then I believe a lack of physical access, as the earthquake has blocked and destroyed roads, so they can't get the aid out of Kathmandu into the remote areas by lorry. Aid is backing up at the airport and airports in neighbouring countries; I look at the technology bandied around on HN and wonder why it (or the previous generation) cannot be used on the ground to help.