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US Military Using $600K 'Drone Buggies' To Patrol Camps In Africa (cnbc.com)

Posted by BeauHD on from the out-of-harm's-way dept.

An anonymous reader quotes a report from CNBC: The U.S. military is using an unmanned robotic vehicle to patrol around its camps in the Horn of Africa. The remote controlled vehicle is the result of a 30-year plan after military chiefs approved the concept of a robotic security system in 1985. Now the Mobile Detection Assessment and Response System, known as MDARS, are carrying out patrols in the east African country of Djibouti, under the control of the Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa. The area is known as home to a number of hostile militant groups including the al-Qaeda-affiliated al-Shabaab. An operator sits in a remote location away from the vehicle watching the terrain via a camera link which is fixed to the chassis. U.S. military software engineer Joshua Kordanai said in a video presentation that the vehicle drives itself, freeing the remote operator to monitor video. "The vehicle has an intruder detection payload, consisting of radar, a night vision camera, a PTZ [pan-tilt-zoom] camera and two-way audio, so the system will be able to detect motion," he added. One report prices the cost of an earlier version of the military 'drone buggy' at $600,000 each.

4 of 60 comments (clear)

  1. Pants on fire by Okian+Warrior · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Policing the world so he can prove how much of a big shot he is. Expect more of the same when he gets elected. Nothing but a third world dictator bully.

    You do realize that's the opposite of what he wants to do, right?

    He wants the US to spend less time, effort, and money patrolling the world, and wants other countries to take up the slack.

    But go ahead and throw insults. It is, after all, the only thing Democrats do.

    1. Re:Pants on fire by __aaclcg7560 · · Score: 3, Insightful

      He wants the US to spend less time, effort, and money patrolling the world, and wants other countries to take up the slack.

      That's what he says. But the rest of the world isn't going to pick up the tab for Pax Americana. Trump haven't explained how he would downsize the military by laying off troops, mothballing weapon systems and closing bases. Actions that won't be popular with politicians and voters as many government-funded jobs will go away and unemployment increase.

      But go ahead and throw insults. It is, after all, the only thing Democrats do.

      As a moderate conservative, I can say that Trump is an idiot.

  2. Apropos of nothing... by Okian+Warrior · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Apropos of nothing...

    Just how hard is it to disable one of these $600,000 mobile golf carts?

    For example, can a high powered rifle pierce any of the antennas, control electronics, or motive hardware? Would an IED be sufficient?

    And having done so, what dangers might the recovery team face?

  3. No real arguments by Okian+Warrior · · Score: 1, Insightful

    Forcing countries like Japan and South Korea to build nuclear weapons because his resolve to continue US's longstanding defense of its allies is not going to make a better world.

    Then say that.

    Printing lies and insults doesn't make your case, but it to be the only thing the Democrats can do.