A Northrop Grumman MQ-8 Fire Scout UAV strayed into restricted airspace above Washington DC after departing Patuxent River Naval Air Station in Maryland on August 2, the result of a software logic flaw that caused the operator to momentarily lose contact with the drone. Programmed to circle when communications are severed, the chopper failed to follow its failure protocol, instead heading twenty-three miles on a north/northwest trajectory -- which could have had serious consequences had it been equipped with 70mm Hydra rocket pods or Hellfire tankbuster missiles. Although this type of incident is rare, it is not unheard of: last September the Air Force had to take down an MQ-9 Reaper in Afghanistan when it failed to adhere to failure protocols after dropping communications with the ground. At least, that's what we'd like to believe... the alternative scenario is too frightening to consider.
Is this where I quote /. and say "I, for one, welcome our robot helicopter overlords."?
People tend to look at you a little strangely when they know you stuff voodoo dolls full of Ex-Lax.
Yeah the proliferation of autonomous killing machines is kinda creepy to me.
I mean it's one thing to have battlefield technology available to help the military, but when those machines start wander around in civilian places it's kinda sucky.
I heard of this guy who's restaurant was broken into repeatedly over a period of time. he knew the bad guy was getting in through a skylight in the kitchen. So he wired it up to the high voltage lines. Killed the bad guy.
But because this was a "mindless trap" that would have killed anyone (perhaps a fire fighter coming in to save the place from a fire?) it was considered murder.
Until computers can have real AIs, these unmanned killing platforms are just mobile traps and will kill anyone that is in the way. I'm thinking that a high school drill team might look combative since they carry replica weapons.
People tend to look at you a little strangely when they know you stuff voodoo dolls full of Ex-Lax.
They wouldnt target anything automatically at this point, would that? Aside from autopilot take off and landings, I dont think there is anything installed in them that allows the helicopter to attack targets on its own. Thats still done by livewire remote control...
But I also believe automated targeting isnt out of the question or being that far off from being reality...
I think the situation is a bit misunderstood. Let's put it this way. Your car still rolls when you have the gear set to drive but the pedal not depressed. It will roll when you're not in it as long as the engine is on.
This drone didn't break free cognitively or otherwise commit a decision. It's return program failed and it went in a straight line. Basically, it was the equivalent of you leaving your car running when you fill gas, the transmission malfunctioning and the car rolling down the street.
It's almost a mechanical malfunction in nature, versus the outright rebellious actions of the Jigabachi choppers.
"If I believe I have a ghost, I will." Is this true? That's quite a controversy.
If you compare it to that, then its almost very similar to the "technology"-I use that term loosely - used on Jet-Ski's for years now. Where if you fall off, and your lanyard comes with you, the Jet-Ski idles (>5mph) and turns to the right...this is done so you can (hopefully) swim close enough to it to get back on a not have to swim forever.
So it flying straight is a pretty basic course of action. I just wondered if it reduced speed or anything else...
Basically. The important thing to keep in mind about military hardware is K.I.S.S. Much less to go wrong, and easier to fix.
As for reduced speed, I'd imagine they'd want that too, but they'd probably want to keep it flying too, to prevent it from randomly landing and being captured.
"If I believe I have a ghost, I will." Is this true? That's quite a controversy.