Flying-rifle robocopter: Hovering sniper backup for US troops Flying killer robots are numerous these days. The machine flyboys are mostly armed with relatively light and precise weapons, but still in the tank- or anyway vehicle-busting league. Now, however, there's a droid whirlybird in development which is armed only with a sniper rifle intended to fire single aimed shots. The new …
This post has been deleted by its author
I can see it now, pager goes off, I roll out of bed, head for the basement, start the HDTV, XBOX and login. I am handed control, seek out my target, get the bad guy body count required for a successful mission. Get the awards, log off, time to make the trophy wife's coffee.
That's enough for the basis of a movie.
Just asking, since it would seem to me to be a good way to up the terrorists ffirepower.
I wonder how long it'll be until all wars are fought by computer and people just carry on their lives - until the computer decides that you were in the wrong place and time and can you please step into the chamber now??
ttfn
Whilst I acknowledge some of the claimed benefits I'm left wondering how advantageous they are versus how much of a kit purchasing pork barrel this is.
For this craft to be of any use it would surely need to have a sniper-like range (barrel to target). Therefore the craft would be a reasonable size - possibly human torso sized in order to carry the kit and handle the recoil.
Thus it would be a sizable target in itself. As it has to fly it's therefore a good sized target in good visibility and vulnerable to enemy ground fire is it not?
Like I said, I can see some benefits (possibly) but I'm not sure they're as concrete or of a scale that the salespeople will doubtlessly state.
@Mark
"For this craft to be of any use it would surely need to have a sniper-like range (barrel to target). Therefore the craft would be a reasonable size - possibly human torso sized in order to carry the kit and handle the recoil."
Ah, no. Because it's smaller than a traditional sniper (not to mention sniper+copter combo), it can get closer to the target while still presenting a smaller target to the person it's trying to kill.
So no, it certainly doesn't need a sniper-like range.
I can see it now...
Marketing Guy 1: What do we call it then?
MG2: Well, it's an Autonomous Sniper System isn't it?
MG1: But we can't call it that, dumbass, it spells ASS.
M2: Dang, how about we add a letter? I know, it's on a helicopter, how about Autonomous Helicopter Sniper System?
MG1: Still sounds too much like Ass -- let's call it Autonomous Rotary Sniper System, nobody could possible think that sounds like Ass.
MG2: High 5! Good one Brett!
If it saves lives and removes *real* problems it's a good thing.
It's kind of a fate accompli that this would happen anyway, I just wonder how they mitigate for the recoil of the barrel.
If it's used to control peaceful people, however, it's a bad thing and there's nothing that you, the Septics or anyone else can do about it.
I've often thought about this, how long before they throw a 3d game simulation game of one of these on the web e.g. Americas Army and those who attain a certain score/awards get the opportunity to fly for real? just think about the hordes of reflex trained armchair hero's around the world
@ Crypt - the XBox 'malarkey' is down to a common misconception - that Micro$loth invented the multi-function hand controller.
McDonnel Douglas Helicopters and Boing Helicopters have both been working on unmanned rotorcraft for years; Boing even got as far as letting Delta Force play with one (allegedly) - based on the UH6/MD500 (Little Bird) chassis.
But does this mean they have found a way round the UN trying to get armed UAVs counted as Cruise Missiles, and therefore subject to some gnarly restrictions on their use?
Mine's the one with the 656Sqn badges on the sleeves
The computer may be running Linux, but the soldier holds a 360 pad in his hands when using it. They're comfortable, half the US Army are such Halo addicts that they know the controls almost instinctively, incredibly cheap to buy and replace in comparison to whatever solution the Army developed on its own would be, and the standard USB wiring (or wireless if you'd rather) means the interface is a doddle, too.
"Wasn't that the plot of the 1980's childrens' film "The Last Starfighter"....?"
well almost but with this they could pipe the live stream from the drone direct to your own computer screen as the AC said at the top, no need to fly across the galaxy and sit in a prototype and be shot at buy the entire opposing fleet , while you wait for them to get in range of your really super duper weapons system, you could just sit in your pants sipping coffee and head shoting the enemy of the day. gives a whole new term to bonus level.
... but remember when you are reaching for the coffee pot/kettle or maybe the pencil sharpener is the riskiest bit of kit in the office apart from the line manager's tongue that there are some seriously responsible and brave people putting their own lives at risk for the sake of something they think is worth protecting and being placed at ultimate risk.
Sorry to be a killjoy - hope you don't get a paper cut at the printer ;-)
"Ah, no. Because it's smaller than a traditional sniper (not to mention sniper+copter combo), it can get closer to the target while still presenting a smaller target to the person it's trying to kill.
So no, it certainly doesn't need a sniper-like range."
My point was that if it needs to get closer than a traditional sniper it is therefore within the range of one. If it's to be small enough to not present a reasonable target to a non-sniper (M16 wielding or equivalent) it's going to be pretty small, need to get damn close and therefore be carrying a much punier weapon. Its lethal range with a rifle and it's size will be intrinsically linked due to recoil and weight etc.
It's all about trade-offs and if that platform spec given above is true it ain't exactly stealth personified. More like a hovering Reaper drone without the range - unless you fit a bloody great barrel + high speed round to it.
Ignoring the value of human life (easy to do in warfare) .. a man on the ground is a huge investment in training, logistics, and potential medical care.
Anyway if you are sending in a bunch of men on the ground ... and you fly in a bunch of robot helicopter snipers ... its a good thing if the enemy is shooting at the robots instead of the guys in the ground. Both in human and in monetary terms.
"first-shot kills are expected at several hundred metres"
Does anyone know what sort of range a human in a chopper can manage?
All I know is the current record is 2460m for a shot in the Afghan mountains (ElReg report on DARPA smart bullets). I'm guessing that putting sniper on a wobbly platform like a chopper would cut the maximum range in half.
I note that the software on this is by SAIC, known for its long good relations with Uncle Sam and fondness for hiring various ex military and law enforcement types. So expect a hefty price tag on it.
Imagine this for a movie plot:
They tell you you're playing a simulation game...
You notice the images and the blood look very realistic for a game...
But you just put that down to a very good effort on the part of the developer.
But there's a reason why they look so realistic...
They *are* real...
What they haven't told you is you're actually flying the real thing...
Re: last post
Yes, but how many points do you get for trashing a Volvo...?
(As I recall, that was part of the Plot for the Robin Williams/LL Cool J 1991 film Toys, after Michael Gambon's character, a ex-U.S Army General has taken over the Toy factory, & started producing a far more destructive military orientated product, piloted by children)
The Register 
Biting the hand that feeds IT
Copyright. All rights reserved © 1998–2024
