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A Silicon Valley For Drones, In North Dakota (nytimes.com)

Posted by Soulskill on from the they-like-robots-better-than-people-there dept.

An anonymous reader writes: Commercial drone development has come a long way in the past five years or so, but (as evidenced by the near miss in Italy) they still aren't something you'd want to see crowding our skies. They're not terribly reliable, they have a pretty short range, and they're loud. Clearly, there's an even longer road ahead to turn them into everyday tools. Silicon Valley may seem like a natural hotbed for development, but it turns out North Dakota might end up being where bleeding-edge drone development happens. "North Dakota has spent about $34 million fostering the state's unmanned aerial vehicle business, most notably with a civilian industrial park for drones near Grand Forks Air Force Base. The base, a former Cold War installation, now flies nothing but robot aircraft for the United States military and Customs and Border Protection."

Testing drones in North Dakota, with its wide-open spaces, farms, and oil fields, neatly sidesteps many of the safety and privacy issues facing drones in more populated areas. The state is also fostering drone pilots: "[T]he University of North Dakota, which already trains many of the nation's commercial pilots and the air traffic controllers of some 18 countries, has 200 students learning to fly drones in a four-year program that started in 2009; 61 students have graduated from it. North Dakota State University, in Fargo, has also started teaching drone courses."

31 comments

  1. Deja vu by Ahnahmoley · · Score: 3, Informative

    http://m.slashdot.org/story/30... Now with added "34 million dollars = silicon valley hur durr!"

    1. Re:Deja vu by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Beyond the dup issue, I am just super uninterested in UAVs and their technology. Am I alone in this? Note, I am generally interested in computing, engineering and technology; and interested in aviation, having owned a small plane and pilot's license... but this "drones drones drones" stuff is kind of like the "why don't girls do STEM" topic for me. Only interesting once.

    2. Re:Deja vu by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      billionaires have little interest either, other than trying to monopolize a new fad market. They don't care about the actual potential of the technology. Same goes for IoT BTW.

      There's no reason to be interested in UAVs right now unless you are engineering flight systems control software, or are disturbed by how the billionaires are lobbying for very destructive laws ultimately aimed at monopolizing the market. There is no reason to be interested in Girls in STEM, unless you know a girl, and are disturbed by how billionaires are exploiting them and further disenfranchising them with these stupid contests and insulting get-togethers. (also designed to help them monopolize a market: the labor market)

      UAVs could be great. The cost savings from delivering via drones instead of hiring drivers is immense. Flying in 3 dimensions instead of being stuck on congested roads is much more efficient (and ultimately safer, once the technologies equalize maturity).

      Getting female perspectives in science could be great, but these girls-only STEM contests are designed to [i]eliminate[/i] people from the market, not include extras.

      Having small devices that interoperate and aren't tied to a brand or platform would be great. But that's not what the corps what. They will never let it happen. They want you to use [i]their[/i] cloud, so they can make a profit off of it. They want you to use [i]their[/i] protocol, so you have to buy more of their devices and get locked into an ecosystem that consists entirely of them and none of their competitors. So innovative new devices will never be invented by them. To them, it is only a new avenue for lock-in, not a new avenue for technology.

    3. Re:Deja vu by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Same. Drones are like 3D printers in that it just feels like some venture capitalist somewhere is trying to force it to be the next big thing when really no one cares. Also, North Dakota has absolutely no tech (or liberal arts for that matter) schools of any note, and the weather is shit. Do I hope Amazon delivers my protein bars by drone one day? Sure. Do I give a shit about drones any more than I give a shit what kind of trucks UPS uses? No.

    4. Re:Deja vu by TWX · · Score: 1

      Maybe the weather will actually be one thing working in North Dakota's favor, in a perverse way. If inclement weather, both due to the trouble that cold produces plus any issues with strong wind, could lead to both better machines and to better operators. For the former, think of how Boston Dynamics has improved their walking robots and muddy, soft, and snowy hilly terrain.

      --
      Do not look into laser with remaining eye.
    5. Re:Deja vu by TWX · · Score: 1

      The biggest problem in getting women in STEM is that much of the culture around technology that develops in the younger years is heavily male-dominated in an outcast sort of way. Many of the boys that start playing with technology from childhood are those that don't fit-in well in other groups, and either have chosen solo hobbies or not been given the opportunity to participate with their peers and basically been stuck with solo hobbies. If they're smart then technological pursuits are a great avenue for a hobbies that have a lot of growth potential- it's essentially limitless.

      If boys that are outcasts are the largest group of participants in the area, and if they both have poor etiquette with girls (and in this case, poorer etiquette to outright hostility; boys generally have poor etiquette anyway) and as seen as a group of outcasts they're not desirable to be around, then by the time girls are encouraged to start looking at technical fields, they're having to push-back against a cultural mindset that sits somewhere between unwelcoming and hostile.

      Unfortunately I can't think of a good way to break this cycle. It's difficult for parents to know what their adolescent children are doing on the Internet to help steer them, and that's assuming that the parents see what their children are doing as a problem. Through my wife I probably know more women in engineering and science than men, and basically all have stories of issues they've had with men that flagrantly violated boundaries. Some were through social ineptitude, some were from a position of sexism, and some saw themselves as players, or some combination thereof.

      I think that gender-separate junior high schools should be more widely considered. That's the age when budding interest in subjects that become careers starts, and it's also the age when people of one gender will start to show-off for the other, and the negative behaviors start. Without the other gender to show-off for it might let adolescents pursue studies without dealing with as much pressure in this regard, so that both boys and girls can look into things that interest them without having to worry about appearances so much.

      --
      Do not look into laser with remaining eye.
    6. Re:Deja vu by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The biggest problem in getting women in STEM is that much of the culture around technology that develops in the younger years is heavily male-dominated in an outcast sort of way.

      Absolutely false. In fact the opposite is true. The outcasts are the ones that get along with women, treat them as an equal, just as they do their buddy who likes to dress up like a mouse on weekends for non-sexual reasons.

      I think that gender-separate junior high schools should be more widely considered.

      Sure, if you want to exacerbate the problem. Teach them at that impressionable young age just how different they are, and reinforce the idea that there's no way they can control themselves around each other. That will translate real well into adulthood.

      No, the solution is simple. Stop making any distinction. People are people. Humans are humans. Everyone deserves equal chance. This means, SOCIALLY, it is important to include everyone. It is important to exclude, through shame, ONLY those who are disrupting inclusion of everyone.

      You want to talk about the kids? Stop telling the kids they are so different. Stop telling them boys can't be friends with girls. Tell them to include people that are not the exact same as them. Tell them to seek out differences, and learn from them, instead of avoiding them. Tell them it's not ok to show off, whether to impress friends or to try and win a mate.

    7. Re:Deja vu by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Unfortunately I can't think of a good way to break this cycle.

      The cycle of people doing whatever the hell they please instead of being tagged at birth for the sake of a delusional equality-utopia that will never be?

      The horror.

      You know what the problem in getting women in STEM is?

      Bic Pens For Women.

      There isn't a problem. Constant, insulting pandering will cause one though.

  2. Fine by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    "A Silicon Valley For Drones"

    Hipsters on LSD flying drones? Yeah, that will work out just fine.

  3. The Next Silicon Valley by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Whenever a journalist makes a comparison to a successful company, area or person whatever he's comparing to ends up not meeting the hype.

    Metro Atlanta wanted to call itself the "Silicon Forest". We all heard entrepreneurs being called the next Bill Gates or companies being called the next Microsoft or Apple.

    North Dakota is fucking North Dakota! It gets dark too early in the Winter. It always has the worst snow storms in the country. It's over a thousand miles from the ocean - that's why aviation is so big there: people need to get the fuck out of there ASAP! N. Dakota will be the place where ballistic - get anywhere in the World in 30 minutes or less - transportation! Why? Because it's fucking N. Dakota!

    But drones?! WTF?! Your aircraft is going to great places but you are not only in some indoor office but you are in North fucking Dakota!

    Go ahead and keep calling it the "Silicon Valley" for drones. Call it the "Caribbean for drones". Call it the "Easy Super Model State".

    But we all know it's fucking North Dakota!

    1. Re:The Next Silicon Valley by PopeRatzo · · Score: 2, Funny

      North Dakota is fucking North Dakota! It gets dark too early in the Winter. It always has the worst snow storms in the country.

      Plus, there's only like 14 people in the entire state. And apparently 8 of them are building drones and waiting for Spring so they can go outside and fly them.

      --
      You are welcome on my lawn.
    2. Re:The Next Silicon Valley by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I'm one of the six people here not working on drones... *cries*

    3. Re:The Next Silicon Valley by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      There, there, why not make drone? You'll feel better!

    4. Re:The Next Silicon Valley by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      North Dakota is fucking North Dakota! It gets dark too early in the Winter. It always has the worst snow storms in the country. It's over a thousand miles from the ocean - that's why aviation is so big there: people need to get the fuck out of there ASAP! N. Dakota will be the place where ballistic - get anywhere in the World in 30 minutes or less - transportation! Why? Because it's fucking N. Dakota!

      Sounds like ideal progressive-hipster-douchebag repellent. Maybe that's the real business opportunity here?

    5. Re:The Next Silicon Valley by PopeRatzo · · Score: 1

      I'm one of the six people here not working on drones... *cries*

      Someone has to plow the roads so the drone operators can get to their dronefields.

      --
      You are welcome on my lawn.
  4. Those classes must really be boring ... by TimSSG · · Score: 1

    I heard the Instructors drone on and on for the entire semester. Tim S.

    1. Re:Those classes must really be boring ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I heard the Instructors drone on and on for the entire semester.

      Tim S.

      Ha!

  5. Awsome False Premises by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    They're not terribly reliable

    False. Despite the recent media hyperbole about a scant few crashes, most drones are exceptionally reliable, especially if you have any understanding about how complicated their flight is.

    they're loud.

    False. Predators or reapers with their full sized jet turbines might be loud, but the vast majority of what we're calling drones today are propelled by electric motors. They are very quiet compared to internal combustion powered vehicles of all kinds, including drones or model aircraft.

    there's an even longer road ahead to turn them into everyday tools

    False. They are already well established everyday tools and toys. There will certainly be improvements and advancements, but we're well past the nascent technology stage.

    North Dakota might end up being where bleeding-edge drone development happens.

    FALSE! China and Europe are where the bleeding edge of development is already occurring. This is due to the fact that the U.S. in general is too restrictive in the operation of drones to make general development worth while or even interesting. Long range(beyond pilot sight) flights, fully autonomous operation, weights, speeds, altitudes are all severely restricted in the U.S. and these restrictions are getting tighter everyday. Meanwhile in less restrictive environments like China and Europe - how's that for an oxymoron - these restrictions aren't as stringent or don;t exist and really interesting and innovative developments are occurring.

  6. STFU by koan · · Score: 1

    They're not terribly reliable, they have a pretty short range, and they're loud.

    I have one that flies over 100 Km, that's not "short" by any means.

    Reliable? An electric engine is about as reliable as you can get and the Flight Controllers (consumer versions) work fine when properly used and set up.

    Loud? At 10 meters you can barely hear most of mine, at 100 meters you won't hear any of them.

    Hardly loud....

    --
    "If any question why we died, Tell them because our fathers lied."
    1. Re:STFU by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Are your kilometers really short where you live or is that a typo?

    2. Re:STFU by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Nah, it is technically possible at the moment to build a hobby grade UAV that can fly 200km (100km out and back). You just need a place large enough to test it if you want to do more than fly circles for hours.

  7. Best way to ensure no one gets into drones? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Associate them with a corny backwater in the middle of fucking no where! Ending up in SF or NYC is a sign of success. Ending up in North Dakota is a sign your life went wrong somewhere...

  8. I think the logic for North Dakota is good by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    North Dakota doesn't have many people, so NIMBY concerns should be low. North Dakota has an Air Force drone base. North Dakota has oil fields, and farms, big potential users of drones. IF oil was still expensive, and the drilling was still frantic, I could see it being a hot spot for drone development.

    1. Re:I think the logic for North Dakota is good by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Washington state is better as it has Boeing and Amazon there. One a major drone producer, and the other a major drone consumer.

    2. Re:I think the logic for North Dakota is good by dl_sledding · · Score: 1

      A couple of clarifications from a ND resident:

      First of all, ND has two air bases: GF and Minot. The GFAFB is the drone base, and the Minot AFB has B52's and command over what's left of the Minuteman II missiles in ND. Second, oil exploration has all but stopped, but production is ongoing with the wells already producing. Farming is a huge potential use for drones, more so than even oil (ND is in the top 5 in 23 out of 34 crops tracked by the USDA, and is the number one producer of 8 of the 34) and those could be even more productive with the new tech that's coming up. There's an entirely new field of study (Precision Ag) that is studying using new tech like drones to more productively use the land and resources.

      As far as the "It gets dark too early in the Winter" argument: the reciprocal is that the summer days are longer. Both are true for all of the northern states, east to west coast, so why the disparaging remark of short daylight time in the winter season is targeted toward ND alone is beyond me. Of course, it was an AC that was making this statement, so the troll value is obviously quite high, and therefore subject to the question of accuracy.

      My personal opinion is rapidly changing to "I hate winter here." I used to love the winter, but I'm slowly wanting to escape it and move to warmer climes...

  9. Fago? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Shouldn't we be addressing the growth of drone pilot programs in Fargo? I don't think we want an air traffic control system dialogue rife with Fargoisms.

    "'Ey there, Drone 27G42-Niner, I be-a requesting permission for a flyover, doncha know."
    "'Ey, you betcha there, permission is granted. You watch out for that ice there, it be-a -15 degrees doncha know. That cold enough for ya?"

  10. Erlich moved Aviato? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    please let this happen

  11. Abertporth, Wales by illtud · · Score: 1

    Similar amounts of public money has been spent in Aberport, West Wales, where the Watchkeeper drone is tested. It hasn't really translated into many local jobs, but it's one of the only airspaces in Europe where (military) drone & manned flight is allowed.

  12. This is a shit article. by ToddInSF · · Score: 1

    What's happened in ND is the drone companies have lobbied to pass laws to give law enforcement there the authority to use drones as weapons against the citizens there. Since there are so few people in ND and since the politicians there are so incompetent and corrupt, they just let industry and the cops do whatever they want. It's idiotic. And unconstitutional.