Pentagon to soon deploy pint-sized but lethal Switchblade drones

There are millions and millions of dollars already invested in UAV technology. However the technology has become so advanced that the commercial companies who stand to gain so much profit from the widespread use of drone aircraft are really pushing strongly to open the commercial marketplace to their technology. I think that’s where you will see some potential for running rough-shod over people’s right to privacy. Nobody wants the government to be big brother, but when billionaire lobbyists can influence politicians so they can make money, things could be different.

Seeking to reduce civilian casualties and collateral damage, the Pentagon will soon deploy a new generation of drones the size of model planes, packing tiny explosive warheads that can be delivered with pinpoint accuracy.

Errant drone strikes have been blamed for killing and injuring scores of civilians throughout Pakistan and Afghanistan, giving the U.S. government a black eye as it targets elusive terrorist groups. The Predator and Reaper drones deployed in these regions typically carry 100-pound laser-guided Hellfire missiles or 500-pound GPS-guided smart bombs that can reduce buildings to smoldering rubble.

The new Switchblade drone, by comparison, weighs less than 6 pounds and can take out a sniper on a rooftop without blasting the building to bits. It also enables soldiers in the field to identify and destroy targets much more quickly by eliminating the need to call in a strike from large drones that may be hundreds of miles away.

Switchblade Drone

reply to post by SUICIDEHK45


it's more of a hand held mini rc cruise missile than a drone.

Interesting...

I'm all for drones, and this seems to be the best approach. But the question must be asked, where does it stop?

I mean, we can develop smaller and smaller versions, that are increasingly more and more efficient. Does it end with mosquito sized UAVs that literally sting its target with a poison? Oh crap, I just gave them the idea!

Then comes the question, should we limit the amount of these that can be produced? We make enough bullets to kill the world 3 times over, but these are 'smart bullets'(if you were). Under the control of the wrong person, there is a very serious problem that can arise.

One thing that I think should be written into something, or at least practiced, is the level of development that these technologies may reach. There's NO WAY anyone should ever support the idea of these things being able to conduct their duties, and eliminate targets on their own. Imagine a recognition software that goes haywire!

I say NO to skynet!

coming soon to a gun owner near you
I have been saying when they come for the guns it won't be the turkey shoot some are expecting

reply to post by Danbones


Exactly, your guns wont save you from an incoming Hellfire missile lol.

i think its about time for the US to chill out

Originally posted by FractalChaos13242017
Under the control of the wrong person, there is a very serious problem that can arise.

Under the control of ANY person, there WILL BE serious problems that WILL arise with the perfection of miniature flying death bugs, switchblade drones, and/or any technology like that.

And it gets to the point that if people insist on wielding this kind of arrogant, judge-jury-and-executioner power over the human race, the human race must consider them the enemy.

Lol, here's what I posted yesterday in reply to Phage -

We've seen the dragonfly and hummingbird model drones that look and move surprisingly like their natural counterparts. Nanotech is growing at leaps and bounds. How small are they going to go? Down the size of flies would be my best guess What's stopping them from weaponizing tiny drones with bio-weapons that inject a toxin? I believe they already have such in their possession. I'm no industry insider, just someone who can follow patterns and draw logical conclusions, not much imagination required.

www.abovetopsecret.com...

Nothing like quick verification, eh?
It's the small ones that scare me and they're going to get much, much smaller yet.

It's not like they are the only ones who can build remote controlled aircraft. 12 gage 00 buck would have quite an effect at 100 yards or so. Hard to fly without wings

At what point in our evolution do we conclude that killing our own species, using ever-sophisticated & vicious methods, might be a bad thing?

any of you ever played half life 2? I think that's exactly where we are headed.

the government will overstep it's bounds just once, and it will piss a lot of the wrong or right people depending on your outlook, from there anything could happen... these drones and the acceptance behind them is simply the stepping stone.

The end game will basically be bullets that can change direction.

Originally posted by princeofpeace
The end game will basically be bullets that can change direction.

they are already in development believe it or not. prototypes

Originally posted by Asktheanimals
Lol, here's what I posted yesterday in reply to Phage -

We've seen the dragonfly and hummingbird model drones that look and move surprisingly like their natural counterparts. Nanotech is growing at leaps and bounds. How small are they going to go? Down the size of flies would be my best guess What's stopping them from weaponizing tiny drones with bio-weapons that inject a toxin? I believe they already have such in their possession. I'm no industry insider, just someone who can follow patterns and draw logical conclusions, not much imagination required.

www.abovetopsecret.com...

Nothing like quick verification, eh?
It's the small ones that scare me and they're going to get much, much smaller yet.

Originally posted by Asktheanimals
reply to post by Phage

 

We've seen the dragonfly and hummingbird model drones that look and move surprisingly like their natural counterparts. Nanotech is growing at leaps and bounds. How small are they going to go? Down the size of flies would be my best guess. What's stopping them from weaponizing tiny drones with bio-weapons that inject a toxin? I believe they already have such in their possession. I'm no industry insider, just someone who can follow patterns and draw logical conclusions, not much imagination required.

edit on 11-6-2012 by Asktheanimals because: corrections

Well they can certainly use the dragonfly and hummingbird models to sorta drop the micro-dust or elements that can seap into the individual being tracked. Below link talks about DNA embedded Genetic Surveillance Which means it can track who your kids and grandkids are/will be

Genetic Surveillance

Possible Tiny Drones

Drone_Pics

With the existing 'taggant' technologies, certainly the insects would be the most viable for now

Taggants

Housefly_Drone

Micro_Drones

reply to post by hp1229


Sweet links!
Thank you

Ive said this before and ill say it again.

The only way to prevent the hijacking of your drones is to make them automated. In the Artificial iltelligence arms race the end result will be synthetic beings originaly created as weapons. With an intelligence that rivials our own and an exponential rate of evolution which is unstopable WE will be the antiques of warfare..

i will eternaly love my little home on earth, the planet turned people zoo.

reply to post by Asktheanimals


You're welcome. There are some PDF links in those websites that might provide some more research leads if you're interested.

Just another nail in the coffin for liberty.

Its only a matter of time that the local PD will have these available.



Maybe I should start producing a cheap version and sell them to LE....

Hell you could build your own for under $1000. Minus the explosives of course.

Utilising a portable EMP device will reduce this drone to a worthless peice of plastic.

Originally posted by TrueAmerican
the human race must consider them the enemy.

Right,
The problem is, we are never going to do that.
For us to consider who the enemy is we have to collectively understand that there IS an enemy to begin with.
I don't know about you but, where I come from if you go spouting off crap like "we have an enemy that isn't Al Qaeda" then you're anti Amerrrcan as well as crazy.

There are really diffent levels of being "awake".
I am not fully awake I'm sure.
But I am awake just enough to see just how F*****ing asleep the majority of people are.

If we wait till the alarm goes off, It'll be too late.
People need to wake the F up and NOW!