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Google's Rogue Internet Balloon Test Spurred UFO Reports Nationwide

Posted by timothy on from the what's-the-frequency-richard dept.

Jason Koebler (3528235) writes "The hardest thing about Google X's Project Loon hasn't been the engineering challenge of beaming high-speed internet down to the far-flung corners of the world: It's trying to control all those freaking balloons. Project lead Rich DeVaul just revealed the 'Falcon 11,' a 120-foot long transparent mylar balloon made in-house at the secret Google X lab that spurred UFO reports nationwide after the company lost track of it: 'We tracked the balloon by outsourcing to the internet UFO community, it drifted all the way across the country,' he said."

42 of 65 comments (clear)

  1. reading comprehension? or network "news"? by Thud457 · · Score: 4, Funny

    What I took from that was " Google terrorizes nation with gigantic UFO "

    --

    the preceding comment is my own and in no way reflects the opinion of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

    1. Re:reading comprehension? or network "news"? by NotDrWho · · Score: 4, Funny

      As much as Google loves to fuck us, I'm surprised they didn't deploy anal probes too.

      --
      SJW's don't eliminate discrimination. They just expropriate it for themselves.
    2. Re:reading comprehension? or network "news"? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Just what leads you to believe they did not?

      If Google had been performing anal probes, there would be a new 'Colonoscopy results' tab on your G+ page.
      On the other hand, who would notice if it was only linked to G+?

    3. Re:reading comprehension? or network "news"? by cheater512 · · Score: 1

      It is beta so if you submit your feature requests they'll probably add them. ....if you like that kind of thing.

    4. Re:reading comprehension? or network "news"? by antdude · · Score: 1

      They already did. ;)

      --
      Ant(Dude) @ Quality Foraged Links (AQFL.net) & The Ant Farm (antfarm.ma.cx / antfarm.home.dhs.org).
  2. What's the protocol? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Surely Google would have had to report that one of their balloons had gone rogue to the FAA, correct? Can't imagine that it doesn't become a hazard to aircraft especially if it drifts near an airport.

    1. Re:What's the protocol? by asylumx · · Score: 1

      I'm not sure what altitude this flew, but most class B and C airspace goes no higher than 10,000ft MSL so if this was above that altitude, it would not have broken any of those airspace regulations. In order for it to get past the Rocky Mountains, it was probably at least 7,000ft so it's quite possible it was over 10,000 ft.

    2. Re:What's the protocol? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Well, google says "about 12 miles up" ... That actually gets slightly tricky (iirc only a few sectors have controlled airspace above FL600)

    3. Re:What's the protocol? by parkinglot777 · · Score: 2

      According to eyewitness testimonial, sighting was with clear, blue, cloudless skies, no aircraft in sight, altitude unknown but definitely above airliner cruising altitude. The object hovered roughly in the same location for over 2 hours, not drifting more than 10 degrees in any direction. Was sighted approximately 60 degrees above the horizon. Image in video was shot with about 150 power magnification.

      That's the quote from one of TFA...

    4. Re: What's the protocol? by asylumx · · Score: 2

      It didn't have to fly over the tallest point...

    5. Re: What's the protocol? by asylumx · · Score: 1

      Besides, I don't see how that changes the point. Did you forget to take your "don't be a dick" pills today?

    6. Re:What's the protocol? by geekoid · · Score: 3, Insightful

      "According to eyewitness testimonial, sighting was with clear, blue, cloudless skies, no aircraft in sight, altitude unknown but definitely above airliner cruising altitude."

      So no reference but thew new the altitude?
      The testimony is worth exactly nothing. This is a common problem with 'UFO seekers' they have no idea that they can't actual give a distance with any accuracy without reference.. So the 'distance' they see something is set at whatever the bias of the viewer wants it to be.

      The person who took the video refuses to believe it's acutally a Balloon and thinks Google is lying. So idiocy abounds.

      --
      The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
    7. Re:What's the protocol? by asylumx · · Score: 1

      Ya, thanks. I was trying to find what altitude this flew at before I posted but couldn't find it.

    8. Re:What's the protocol? by Carnildo · · Score: 1

      I don't know about this balloon, but the ones I've been tracking on FlightRadar are solidly *above* controlled airspace. Airliners tend to hang out around 30,000-40,000 feet, business jets are typically 35,000-45,000 feet, and Google's balloons are at 60,000 feet and above.

      --
      "They redundantly repeated themselves over and over again incessantly without end ad infinitum" -- ibid.
  3. UFOs exist by Cederic · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Any unidentified flying object is a UFO. I just despair at people immediately assuming that means it's extraterrestial in nature.

    1. Re:UFOs exist by gstoddart · · Score: 2

      Any unidentified flying object is a UFO

      Kind of by definition, as you've essentially expanded the acronym. :-P

      --
      Lost at C:>. Found at C.
    2. Re:UFOs exist by Threni · · Score: 1

      I know, but some people believe in all that stuff. Then again, that's all "UFO" is ever used for anyway, so there's no problem.

    3. Re:UFOs exist by Nidi62 · · Score: 2

      Quite. All those mid-20th century UFOs were much more likely to be military test craft which nobody wanted to acknowledge to the Russkis.

      Often they were actually sightings of captured/purchased Russian aircraft such as the MiG-17 that the US was secretly studying. The profile of a MiG-17 is different enough from US planes at the time (F-101, F-4, F-8) that one could easily mistake it as something other than a plane, especially if it was unpainted.

      --
      The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for it to be pitted against a slightly greater evil
    4. Re:UFOs exist by Sloppy · · Score: 1

      So UFOs exist, but disappear as soon as we identify them?

      Only some fake UFOs disappear. The unidentified UFO objects remain!

      --
      As copyright owner of this comment, I authorize everyone to defeat any technological measure which limits access to it.
    5. Re:UFOs exist by Sockatume · · Score: 1

      When you have organisations like MUFON who are more interested in alien invaders than weather balloons, you can understand the usage.

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      No kidding!!! What do you say at this point?
    6. Re:UFOs exist by geekoid · · Score: 1

      Since the fact majority of uses is for that, it's a decent assumption. If you don't like it, blame the UFO(alien) community that co-opted it.

      --
      The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
    7. Re:UFOs exist by GuB-42 · · Score: 1

      In the same way, your fist disappear as soon as you open your hand.

    8. Re:UFOs exist by alex67500 · · Score: 2

      Any unidentified flying object is a UFO.

      This tautology contest is a tautology contest.

    9. Re:UFOs exist by Darinbob · · Score: 1

      A significant subset probably believes that they're evidence of a conspiracy instead.

    10. Re:UFOs exist by Darinbob · · Score: 1

      And everyone is a winner.

  4. it's trying to control all those freaking balloons by csumpi · · Score: 1

    it's trying to control all those freaking balloons

    now that wasn't too hard to predict, was it?

    .

  5. Jets? by AndyKron · · Score: 1

    I wonder what would happen if a 120 balloon got stuck in a jet engine?

  6. Oh the irony by Nidi62 · · Score: 2

    Tracking Project Loon by following a bunch of UFO loons. Well done Google.

    --
    The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for it to be pitted against a slightly greater evil
    1. Re:Oh the irony by harvestsun · · Score: 1

      Irony. Humorous coincidence. Learn the difference.

  7. Kind of sad by asylumx · · Score: 1

    People want SO BADLY to believe that we're being visited by aliens, that they won't accept a very clear explanation for what they saw. It's kind of sad that we are so disillusioned with our own world that we need to convince ourselves of things like UFOs.

    1. Re:Kind of sad by wonkey_monkey · · Score: 1

      It's kind of sad that we are so disillusioned with our own world that we need to convince ourselves of things like UFOs.

      Partly, but I also wonder how much of it is because some people will convince themselves of anything just to feel special because they know The Truth. The more ridiculous the thing, the more special a person it takes to know that it's true.

      c.f. conspiracy theories down the ages.

      --
      systemd is Roko's Basilisk.
  8. Reminds me of the Hyperblimp reports by GameboyRMH · · Score: 2

    There's a high-end RC hybrid-blimp-thing called the Hyperblimp, it's about 50ft long and transparent. It's been featured by various news stations as a UFO many times. Even with some pics close enough that you can see that it's clearly composed of non-exotic man-made technology. *facepalm*

    --
    "When information is power, privacy is freedom" - Jah-Wren Ryel
    1. Re:Reminds me of the Hyperblimp reports by geekoid · · Score: 1

      I've seen picture of Chinese floating lanterns which are clearly 50 feet away(reference point: trees) and people say it' a UFO miles away.
      At least they stopped when I pointed out the hard to see marking on the lantern oh, no they didn't they called me names and went out about the 'truth'.

      --
      The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
    2. Re:Reminds me of the Hyperblimp reports by chihowa · · Score: 1

      Speaking of RC and amateur devices, I'm surprised that they didn't just use APRS to keep track of the balloons. The power budget of a GPS and VHF transmitter are tiny and they can tie into the network (almost) no matter where, or how high, the balloon goes.

      The transmissions aren't commercial in nature, so as long as there is a licensed ham there is should be all legal.

      --
      If you want a vision of the future, imagine a youtube comments section scrolling - forever.
  9. It can be tracked easily. by 140Mandak262Jamuna · · Score: 2

    All you have to do is to claim a little boy has sneaked aboard and the balloon has taken off and the balloon boy is missing. Every network will find, track and cover the balloon preempting all scheduled programming. Air Force and Air National Guard will be mobilized. Airports will be closed. It will be tracked. It. Cant. Fail.

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    sed -e 's/Chuck Norris/Rajnikant/g' joke > fact
    1. Re:It can be tracked easily. by dmorgantini · · Score: 1

      Nope. Wouldn't happen like that. I watched UP.

  10. How hard would it be to find it? by 140Mandak262Jamuna · · Score: 2

    They just have google it right? Google will find it. They might even hit the "I feel lucky" button.

    --
    sed -e 's/Chuck Norris/Rajnikant/g' joke > fact
  11. Re:Well what's more believable: ET-UFOs or God(s)? by pr0fessor · · Score: 1

    Hey now! I live in Kansas... just because we have a few very vocal nut jobs doesn't make us all nut jobs.

    I've concluded that they make the news so much because unless there is a tornado not much else really happens here. I know it sounds boring but sometimes that's a good thing.

  12. Easy to identify by Hamsterdan · · Score: 1

    http://s47.photobucket.com/use...

    --
    I've got better things to do tonight than die.
  13. morons by slashmydots · · Score: 2

    I love how UFO believers still exist. We literally have flying discs. I think you can buy them on Thinkgeek. With all the crap we have flying around up there like drones and satellites and secret planes and hobbyist stuff and rockets and balloons, the FIRST place they do is still "must be aliens."

  14. So Google lost a balloon by Stan92057 · · Score: 1

    So Google lost a balloon, what would have happened if that balloon took down a passenger plane or a military jet? Oh and shouldn't that balloon be considered a drone as well?? I think Google should be heavily Fined for loosing the balloon. That is IMO

    --
    Jack of all trades,master of none
  15. A simple way to control a balloon by maitas · · Score: 1

    This is way old, but can be usefull to help Google control their balloons. http://www.gaerospace.com/proj...