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Robot Helicopters To Single Out Pirate Ships

Posted by timothy on from the does-this-pass-the-skiff-test? dept.

Hugh Pickens writes "Innovation News reports that the U.S. Navy plans to upgrade its robotic Fire Scouts with electronic 'brains' that are able to automatically recognize small pirate boats spotted through 3D laser imaging by bouncing millions of laser pulses off distant objects to create a 3D 'radar' image of any boats on the high seas — a technology known as LIDAR or LADAR — so that their new software can automatically compare the 3D images to pirate boat profiles on record. Having smarter robotic helicopters could ease the workload strain for Navy sailors, who must otherwise eyeball the data coming from the new Multi-Mode Sensor Seeker (MMSS) — a sensor mix of high-definition cameras, mid-wave infrared sensors and the 3D LADAR technology. Meanwhile, the Navy has begun testing other new technologies to tackle the problem of piracy — an especially thorny issue because of Somali pirates attacking ships off the coast of East Africa. Its more forceful countermeasures include a combination of lasers and machine guns, as well as swarms of smart rockets capable of picking out their own small boat targets."

7 of 123 comments (clear)

  1. Arrrr! by dutchwhizzman · · Score: 4, Funny

    Yer cannet detact me skull'n'bones flag!

    --
    I was promised a flying car. Where is my flying car?
    1. Re:Arrrr! by Motard · · Score: 3, Funny

      Couldn't we just hide GPS tracking devices in peg legs?

  2. Robots Vs. Pirates by hey! · · Score: 5, Funny

    I am the only one who thinks that sounds like a summer movie?

    --
    Post may contain irony: discontinue use if experiencing mood swings, nausea or elevated blood pressure.
    1. Re:Robots Vs. Pirates by monktus · · Score: 5, Funny

      Pirate pours seawater over robot, alien shoots pirate with ray gun, ninja decapitates alien, cowboy shoots ninja, wizard hexes cowboy, Spock nerve pinches wizard, scissors cut paper, paper covers rock, rock crushes lizard, lizard poisons Spock, Spock smashes scissors, scissors decapitate lizard, lizard eats paper, paper disproves Spock, Spock vaporises rock, rock crushes scissors.

      --
      Weaseling out of things is important to learn. It's what separates us from the animals... except the weasel."
    2. Re:Robots Vs. Pirates by Arancaytar · · Score: 4, Funny

      But I can't see any ninjas anywhere in that title---

      oh.

  3. AAARGH!, not LADAR by colinrichardday · · Score: 3, Funny

    Adaptive Aerial Antipirate Robotically Generated Holography!

  4. Sailing by SimonInOz · · Score: 3, Funny

    As a one time ocean cruiser - in a small boat - may I just say how terrifying this sounds?
    There you are, sailing along off the coast of somewhere, minding your own business and wondering if you can stretch to one more warm beer from your fast-dwindling supplies, when a robot helicopter comes along and shoots the shit out of you.

    As if rogue waves, giant fish, waterspouts and annoying customs officials weren't enough, now we get robot helicopters?
    Come back Bender, all is forgiven. At least you could try to reason with him, um, it.

    --
    "Cats like plain crisps"