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Fighting Fire From the Sky

Posted by michael on from the also-known-as-rain dept.

exceed writes: "Yahoo! News has an article on an unmanned robotic airplane that is able to circle around wild fires for up to 24 hours, sending data and images back down to earth via satellite. The Altus II, created by NASA, employs cutting edge technology usually seen in military aircraft, giving fire officials a real-time view of fires that can burn over hundreds of thousands of acres. The plane could map dozens of fires and topographical features in a day, never endangering a pilot."

5 of 108 comments (clear)

  1. Cola by manon · · Score: 2, Funny

    That is great. Just as long as the automatic pilot isn't running on M$ Flight Simulator.

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    42 + 1 = 42
  2. why stop at mapping? by TechnoVooDooDaddy · · Score: 3, Funny

    hell, strap a fire extinguisher on there and go nuts!

    (ok, so not really, but you get my drift)

  3. I wonder??? by The+Slashdolt · · Score: 2, Funny

    Will this render the fire fighting dirtbike obsolete?

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    mp3's are only for those with bad memories
  4. Re:Why fight fire? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    I kinda doubt that this is the case.

    The average slashdot reader has an IQ of about 75. They tend not to focus on the first impression, but rather the first counter argument. The average public with an average IQ of 100 should be able to go much further.

  5. Re:Why fight fire? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Yes.

    Same as people who choose to live next to volcanos
    and on fault lines. Tough luck - nature is stronger than you.