Oh yes, if this drone had been registered then it would have floated gently to the ground like an autumn leaf.
Sigh... what do you *really* think that registration does? Do you think it's a silver bullet that ensures these things fly safely, never crash and are 100% reliable?
Step right up son, there's a job waiting for you at the FAA!
The reality is that this was a professional-quality rig that suffered a catastrophic failure and whether it had been registered or not (which probably isn't even a requirement in the country where this took place) makes no difference.
It's great to see the levels of ignorance and "know it all-ism" on Slashdot hasn't decreased one jot recently:-/
"There is always a kill switch on the controller, intended for those cases where the drone is out of control and at the risk of doing something really stupid. Of course this will cause it to fall out of the sky like a brick, so that has to be better than the alternative. It sounds like it was activated, but the reasons they give why are dubious."
What utter twaddle! Written by someone who clearly operates on the basis that "I don't need on steenken facts! I'll just make up some to suit my argument".
And yes, I can speak with authority -- I'm a well recognized name in the world of "drones".
Actually, it's clear that the drone pilot was aiming for something "soft" to cushion the impact of his expensive craft and thus keep damage to it and its expensive camera payload to a minimum. It's just a rumor but someone said they heard him say "damn, missed" in a soto voice just seconds after the impact:-)
Sorry but the OP is correct... this situation *has* been manufactured by the USA's long-standing practice of pissing in other people's pools.
If the USA (and other Western nations) just kept their noses out of other country's politics then there wouldn't be this rapidly growing anti-western sentiment within the Middle East.
Hell... the USA and UK invade Iraq on the fraudulent proposition that Saddam had a stockpile of weapons of mass destruction -- and look how that turned out.
The USA has almost certainly killed more innocent men, women and children (conveniently categorised as "collateral damage") through their drone strikes than daesh has ever beheaded, shot or blown up.
The USA regularly executes its own citizens (hello Texas???) who the feel have violated their rules (rape/murder) -- yet complain so loudly when other cultures, religions or countries do the same.
Message to the US government: do not expect *anyone* to be pleased if you piss in their pool. Do not act surprised when those people decide to come piss in your pool.
I believe that what daesh and Al Quaeda have done is totally barbaric -- but then again, the same can be said for those Western nations who have engaged in acts of terrorism and murder against other nations.
Let he who is without sin... as they say.
Why doesn't everyone just grow up and start acting like adults for a change????
So people are so absolutely shit-scared of drones that they'd rather throw some gimp into one of these "jetpacks" and place him in danger of his life (at a huge cost) rather than just fly a low-cost drone and perform the same surveillance role?
And when the MJP fails and falls from the sky, it's not just the pilot who gets to see Allah but also anyone who is unfortunate enough to be standing beneath when it hits.
At least it has a lovely ballistic parachute which (in a firefighting roll) will open just in time to cover the wreckage and bodies like a decorative shroud.
If you truly believe that then surely any and *all* conversations should be recorded or minuted and submitted to the government for examination.
Having a chat with a buddy over a beer on a Saturday afternoon -- better write down exactly what was said and (e)mail it off -- or you're a damned commie spy and terrorist!
Sorry, but regardless the cost, the right to privacy ought to be an inalienable one that can not be usurped by a small bunch of paranoid politicians and bureaucrats who have proven themselves (time and time again) to be untrustworthy.
If we relinquish our right to privacy we deny our humanity.
Even if a global treaty is struck to declare privacy a basic human right -- who is going to provide the oversight, who will punish those that breach the treaty and how will such punishment be administered?
Reality check: There's just no way this is going to work.
Aren't there global treaties that outlaw torture?
What happens at Gitmo, who is punished for the violations and how is that punishment metered out?
This, I am afraid, is nothing more than an exercise in futility. We have already lost our right to privacy and the only way it will return is probably by way of an armed uprising.
If our grandfathers and great-grandfathers could see just how many of the rights and freedoms they fought to protect have now been lost in the name of "safety" and "security", they'd turn in their graves.
At least in N.Korea they don't try to hide the fact that this is a corrupt dictatorial government which acts solely in its own best interests.
Elsewhere -- it's exactly the same -- except that they pretend they have a democracy.
N.Korea's government (ie: Kimmy boy) uses execution as a tool for lifting compliance -- but hey, don't many US states do the same thing and call it "justice"?
Let's face it, far too many of our politicians and those who purport to be "representing" us in a democratic system have simply become the paid puppets of corporations and special interest groups.
At election time, we just get to choose which group of puppets will pretend to have our interests at heart.
Surely this will have "high powered" cameras onboard that will violate my privacy and how long before one of these mowers jumps a berm, soars into the air and brings down a commercial passenger jet?
Don't you people read the carefully researched and highly objective news stories on the dangers of drones????
But please, ignore this guy Chris Manno, what would he know... he's just an ex-USAF pilot who now flies commercial airliners for American Airlines. He clearly has no credibility when compared to the deluded ravings of some lowly intern in a tabloid newspaper or some government regulator who's hell-bent on restricting any freedoms they may have overlooked last year.
Dont' even need to do that now... manufacturers are making almost unbreakable props as seen in Youtube video. Good luck shooting down a drone if you can't break the propellers!
Hi have no real opinions for or against KD -- I can see both sides of the argument.
However, there is one area where he is absolutely right -- and that's the issue of corruption running rife within the US and NZ governments. In fact, the list of "unlawful" actions that the NZ government or its agencies have been found to conduct is growing almost on a daily basis. I often wondered what the difference was between "unlawful" and "illegal" - and have since worked it out.
Illegal is when a mere citizen breaks the law. Illegal activities are punished by fines or incarceration.
Unlawful is when the government or one of its agencies breaks the law. Unlawful activities carry no censure or punishment. The government automatically excuses itself from the provisions of the laws which "mere citizens" must obey without question. Does this really seem fair -- to have those who make and enforce the laws effectively placed "beyond the law"? Surely they should actually be held to a higher standard of accountability -- not effectively given the right to dictate that "mere citizens" must "do as we say, not as we do".
The irrefutable evidence of corruption and blatant self-interest within government is clear to see for anyone who takes an interest. The sad thing is that the majority of the population has been "dumbed down" to the point where they either can't see or don't care about what's being done to them.
This is a "frog in a pan" scenario. Over successive generations, many western governments have slowly eroded the rights of their populations and reconfigured the economy and laws in a way that benefits the rich at the cost of the poor. While things may not seem too different to the way they were 10 years ago, I bet that if you took someone from the mid 1940s (who'd risked their life to protect the rights and freedoms of the Western World), they would be outraged that so much of what *they* fought for has been surrendered so readily by people.
When billions of dollars were effectively stolen by bankers -- who paid the price and who was punished?
Innocent depositors and the "poor" paid the price but virtually none of those who committed the crimes were held to account.
Socialize debt, privatize profit -- that's the mantra of today's world and it's something which is a clear indicator that governments are no longer serving to represent citizens. Governments now represent only those who can afford to lobby them and bribe them.
In the 1950s it was "reds under the bed" -- today it's corporate USA who are the unseen but very real enemy of the people (of all countries).
I suggest that *everyone* watches a documentary called "SuperPower". It has some *very* interesting facts that deliver irrefutable proof of exactly how the democratic process is just a farce.
And this is why I use a $9 phone that has support for nothing other than voice calls and plaintext SMS. Not only is it free from the effects of such exploits but the battery also lasts two weeks between charges, it fits very nicely in even the smallest pocket and doesn't distract me when I should be working or spending time with friends and family.
I only upgraded to this phone because I found the cranking handle on the side of my old phone was snagging on my pocket and the operator was sometimes very slow to respond with "number please" when I tried to summon her attention:-)
That is already being done. Many "store bought" drones will refuse to fly within the regulated "no fly" distance from documented airfields and most reasonable craft *do* have an auto-land facility that kicks in when the battery gets low.
There's no more point in banning drones than there is in banning butter-knives. Both are useful and very safe ways to perform a task -- however, both can be MISUSED when in the hands of idiots. Far better that we simply make sure that any idiot who misuses *any* technology is dealt with appropriately. The only alternative to ensuring public safety is to have us all fitted with straightjackets and locked into our own private padded rooms -- for our safety.
Well that's a load of mis-information for a start.
An increasing number of multirotors are using carbon-fiber propellers which are quite strong in all directions and even the small plastic ones can draw blood. Check out this video at 4:26... and we're talking about very small (just over 1lb) craft with tiny (5-inch) plastic propellers.
Most people don't deliberately endanger the lives of others just for fun -- most do it out of ignorance of the risks and potential outcomes.
Just as the rates of smoking have dropped enormously since we began educating folks as to the dangers -- so we need to educate the neophyte and ignorant drone operators as to their responsibilities and obligations in respect to the public's safety.
The situation regarding "near misses" is a *lot* more complex than most of the public realize.
For example, the various pilots groups around the world are acting *very* politically to try and get drones virtually regulated out of existence. Why? Because they know full-well that these craft represent a direct threat to their livelihoods -- more so than the threat to their lives. To this end, virtually *any* sighting of an unidentified flying object is now called a "near miss with a drone". I recall when they were once all depicted as flying saucer incidents -- but now "drone" is the scapegoat de jour.
The media has also enjoyed depicting these craft as evil and likely to bring down airliners all over the world. This kind of sensationalist sizzle attracts eyeballs and that's what the media is after. Forget objectivity, research and facts -- anything goes in the quest for $$$$.
So let's look at the facts...
These craft have been around for quite a few years now and are being flown all over the world. So how many times *have* they crashed into full-sized aircraft?
None. Zero. Zilch, not a single actual collision between an aircraft and a drone.
Compare this to the number of bird-strikes encountered every year. Birdstrike accounts for about $1.4 billion of damage ($900M in the USA alone) inflicted on full-sized aircraft each year and have caused over 250 deaths since 1988.
Remember the numbers for drones: zero, none, zilch -- and not a red cent.
Over 11,000 bird-strike incidents (with full-sized aircraft) were reported in 2013. During that same period the number for drone-strikes was... ZERO!
We all remember the United flight that crashed into the Hundson river as a result of bird-strike. Not a recreational drone to be seen at the time.
The bottom line is that yes, there is a small degree of risk associated with the use of recreational drones but it is very, very clear that those who fear for their jobs and those who want to sell the sensational have both worked to grossly over-state the magnitude of this problem.
Of course there will always be idiots who act in a way that endangers the safety of others. However, even under existing laws, the act of reckless endangerment covers that type of activity -- whether it's done with a drone, a car or an axe.
Once drones are made illegal, only the criminals will have them. Now is that a situation we really want?
Never underestimate the stupidity of a politician -- history is filled with evidence as to the risks associated with doing so.
The scary thing is that these days, you can't trust a single-thing that the US government says or does -- so why would you think that this was a new thing?
To he honest, I don't know if the moon landings were faked but, given the technology of the day (especially computer tech), I for one would *never* have signed up to be an astronaut on those missions.
Given the way governments of the world have proven themselves to be highly deceptive and untrustworty and much as I'd love to believe that all the stuff I saw as a kid in respect to the moon landings was true... there *has* to be a haunting doubt in the back of my mind.
I'm not going to say either way -- except that I would *not* be surprised if the conspiracy theorists were, at some stage in the distant future, proven right.
HobbyKing have some fine products but when it comes to racing FPV quadcopters, they're not the best source of things like frames. They're still behind the eight-ball in that area.
Slashdot Mirror
Oh yes, if this drone had been registered then it would have floated gently to the ground like an autumn leaf.
Sigh... what do you *really* think that registration does? Do you think it's a silver bullet that ensures these things fly safely, never crash and are 100% reliable?
Step right up son, there's a job waiting for you at the FAA!
The reality is that this was a professional-quality rig that suffered a catastrophic failure and whether it had been registered or not (which probably isn't even a requirement in the country where this took place) makes no difference.
It's great to see the levels of ignorance and "know it all-ism" on Slashdot hasn't decreased one jot recently :-/
"There is always a kill switch on the controller, intended for those cases where the drone is out of control and at the risk of doing something really stupid. Of course this will cause it to fall out of the sky like a brick, so that has to be better than the alternative. It sounds like it was activated, but the reasons they give why are dubious."
What utter twaddle! Written by someone who clearly operates on the basis that "I don't need on steenken facts! I'll just make up some to suit my argument".
And yes, I can speak with authority -- I'm a well recognized name in the world of "drones".
Actually, it's clear that the drone pilot was aiming for something "soft" to cushion the impact of his expensive craft and thus keep damage to it and its expensive camera payload to a minimum. It's just a rumor but someone said they heard him say "damn, missed" in a soto voice just seconds after the impact :-)
"More and more, govt seems to be there for NOTHING more than regulating everything, and charging you money for the "privilege".
Didn't you get the memo?
The job of government is to take your rights and sell them back to you as a privilege, subject to an annual (or other) fee and license.
And honestly, I am *NOT* kidding... just think about it!
Oooh... who's been watching that great movie Iron Sky?
The Nazis have tanks of Helium 3 already stashed on the moon!
Google is your friend (as is Wikipedia):
Diver Dan
"Below in the deep there's adventure and danger... that's where you'll find Diver Dan"
Oh yeah... now we're talking!
Baron Barracuda would make a great villain.
Is anyone else as old as me and has memories of this?
Sorry but the OP is correct... this situation *has* been manufactured by the USA's long-standing practice of pissing in other people's pools.
If the USA (and other Western nations) just kept their noses out of other country's politics then there wouldn't be this rapidly growing anti-western sentiment within the Middle East.
Hell... the USA and UK invade Iraq on the fraudulent proposition that Saddam had a stockpile of weapons of mass destruction -- and look how that turned out.
The USA has almost certainly killed more innocent men, women and children (conveniently categorised as "collateral damage") through their drone strikes than daesh has ever beheaded, shot or blown up.
The USA regularly executes its own citizens (hello Texas???) who the feel have violated their rules (rape/murder) -- yet complain so loudly when other cultures, religions or countries do the same.
Message to the US government: do not expect *anyone* to be pleased if you piss in their pool. Do not act surprised when those people decide to come piss in your pool.
I believe that what daesh and Al Quaeda have done is totally barbaric -- but then again, the same can be said for those Western nations who have engaged in acts of terrorism and murder against other nations.
Let he who is without sin ... as they say.
Why doesn't everyone just grow up and start acting like adults for a change????
So people are so absolutely shit-scared of drones that they'd rather throw some gimp into one of these "jetpacks" and place him in danger of his life (at a huge cost) rather than just fly a low-cost drone and perform the same surveillance role?
And when the MJP fails and falls from the sky, it's not just the pilot who gets to see Allah but also anyone who is unfortunate enough to be standing beneath when it hits.
At least it has a lovely ballistic parachute which (in a firefighting roll) will open just in time to cover the wreckage and bodies like a decorative shroud.
Why are they wasting their money buying a skidoo with fans when they could buy a *real* jetpack with real jet engines?
If you truly believe that then surely any and *all* conversations should be recorded or minuted and submitted to the government for examination.
Having a chat with a buddy over a beer on a Saturday afternoon -- better write down exactly what was said and (e)mail it off -- or you're a damned commie spy and terrorist!
Sorry, but regardless the cost, the right to privacy ought to be an inalienable one that can not be usurped by a small bunch of paranoid politicians and bureaucrats who have proven themselves (time and time again) to be untrustworthy.
If we relinquish our right to privacy we deny our humanity.
You've nailed it. "Do the right thing" is highly ambiguous when compared to their previous motto.
Clearly they want the wiggle-room because doing "evil" can sometimes be highly profitable.
Even if a global treaty is struck to declare privacy a basic human right -- who is going to provide the oversight, who will punish those that breach the treaty and how will such punishment be administered?
Reality check: There's just no way this is going to work.
Aren't there global treaties that outlaw torture?
What happens at Gitmo, who is punished for the violations and how is that punishment metered out?
This, I am afraid, is nothing more than an exercise in futility. We have already lost our right to privacy and the only way it will return is probably by way of an armed uprising.
If our grandfathers and great-grandfathers could see just how many of the rights and freedoms they fought to protect have now been lost in the name of "safety" and "security", they'd turn in their graves.
Damn... you beat me to it.
At least in N.Korea they don't try to hide the fact that this is a corrupt dictatorial government which acts solely in its own best interests.
Elsewhere -- it's exactly the same -- except that they pretend they have a democracy.
N.Korea's government (ie: Kimmy boy) uses execution as a tool for lifting compliance -- but hey, don't many US states do the same thing and call it "justice"?
Let's face it, far too many of our politicians and those who purport to be "representing" us in a democratic system have simply become the paid puppets of corporations and special interest groups.
At election time, we just get to choose which group of puppets will pretend to have our interests at heart.
Noooo.... a drone-mower?
Surely this will have "high powered" cameras onboard that will violate my privacy and how long before one of these mowers jumps a berm, soars into the air and brings down a commercial passenger jet?
Don't you people read the carefully researched and highly objective news stories on the dangers of drones????
But please, ignore this guy Chris Manno, what would he know... he's just an ex-USAF pilot who now flies commercial airliners for American Airlines. He clearly has no credibility when compared to the deluded ravings of some lowly intern in a tabloid newspaper or some government regulator who's hell-bent on restricting any freedoms they may have overlooked last year.
Dont' even need to do that now... manufacturers are making almost unbreakable props as seen in Youtube video. Good luck shooting down a drone if you can't break the propellers!
Hi have no real opinions for or against KD -- I can see both sides of the argument.
However, there is one area where he is absolutely right -- and that's the issue of corruption running rife within the US and NZ governments. In fact, the list of "unlawful" actions that the NZ government or its agencies have been found to conduct is growing almost on a daily basis. I often wondered what the difference was between "unlawful" and "illegal" - and have since worked it out.
Illegal is when a mere citizen breaks the law. Illegal activities are punished by fines or incarceration.
Unlawful is when the government or one of its agencies breaks the law. Unlawful activities carry no censure or punishment. The government automatically excuses itself from the provisions of the laws which "mere citizens" must obey without question. Does this really seem fair -- to have those who make and enforce the laws effectively placed "beyond the law"? Surely they should actually be held to a higher standard of accountability -- not effectively given the right to dictate that "mere citizens" must "do as we say, not as we do".
The irrefutable evidence of corruption and blatant self-interest within government is clear to see for anyone who takes an interest. The sad thing is that the majority of the population has been "dumbed down" to the point where they either can't see or don't care about what's being done to them.
This is a "frog in a pan" scenario. Over successive generations, many western governments have slowly eroded the rights of their populations and reconfigured the economy and laws in a way that benefits the rich at the cost of the poor. While things may not seem too different to the way they were 10 years ago, I bet that if you took someone from the mid 1940s (who'd risked their life to protect the rights and freedoms of the Western World), they would be outraged that so much of what *they* fought for has been surrendered so readily by people.
When billions of dollars were effectively stolen by bankers -- who paid the price and who was punished?
Innocent depositors and the "poor" paid the price but virtually none of those who committed the crimes were held to account.
Socialize debt, privatize profit -- that's the mantra of today's world and it's something which is a clear indicator that governments are no longer serving to represent citizens. Governments now represent only those who can afford to lobby them and bribe them.
In the 1950s it was "reds under the bed" -- today it's corporate USA who are the unseen but very real enemy of the people (of all countries).
I suggest that *everyone* watches a documentary called "SuperPower". It has some *very* interesting facts that deliver irrefutable proof of exactly how the democratic process is just a farce.
And this is why I use a $9 phone that has support for nothing other than voice calls and plaintext SMS. Not only is it free from the effects of such exploits but the battery also lasts two weeks between charges, it fits very nicely in even the smallest pocket and doesn't distract me when I should be working or spending time with friends and family.
I only upgraded to this phone because I found the cranking handle on the side of my old phone was snagging on my pocket and the operator was sometimes very slow to respond with "number please" when I tried to summon her attention :-)
That is already being done. Many "store bought" drones will refuse to fly within the regulated "no fly" distance from documented airfields and most reasonable craft *do* have an auto-land facility that kicks in when the battery gets low.
There's no more point in banning drones than there is in banning butter-knives. Both are useful and very safe ways to perform a task -- however, both can be MISUSED when in the hands of idiots. Far better that we simply make sure that any idiot who misuses *any* technology is dealt with appropriately. The only alternative to ensuring public safety is to have us all fitted with straightjackets and locked into our own private padded rooms -- for our safety.
Well that's a load of mis-information for a start.
An increasing number of multirotors are using carbon-fiber propellers which are quite strong in all directions and even the small plastic ones can draw blood. Check out this video at 4:26... and we're talking about very small (just over 1lb) craft with tiny (5-inch) plastic propellers.
"Opens on impact" :)
What's needed is *education* -- not regulation.
Most people don't deliberately endanger the lives of others just for fun -- most do it out of ignorance of the risks and potential outcomes.
Just as the rates of smoking have dropped enormously since we began educating folks as to the dangers -- so we need to educate the neophyte and ignorant drone operators as to their responsibilities and obligations in respect to the public's safety.
The situation regarding "near misses" is a *lot* more complex than most of the public realize.
For example, the various pilots groups around the world are acting *very* politically to try and get drones virtually regulated out of existence. Why? Because they know full-well that these craft represent a direct threat to their livelihoods -- more so than the threat to their lives. To this end, virtually *any* sighting of an unidentified flying object is now called a "near miss with a drone". I recall when they were once all depicted as flying saucer incidents -- but now "drone" is the scapegoat de jour.
The media has also enjoyed depicting these craft as evil and likely to bring down airliners all over the world. This kind of sensationalist sizzle attracts eyeballs and that's what the media is after. Forget objectivity, research and facts -- anything goes in the quest for $$$$.
So let's look at the facts...
These craft have been around for quite a few years now and are being flown all over the world. So how many times *have* they crashed into full-sized aircraft?
None. Zero. Zilch, not a single actual collision between an aircraft and a drone.
Compare this to the number of bird-strikes encountered every year. Birdstrike accounts for about $1.4 billion of damage ($900M in the USA alone) inflicted on full-sized aircraft each year and have caused over 250 deaths since 1988.
Remember the numbers for drones: zero, none, zilch -- and not a red cent.
Over 11,000 bird-strike incidents (with full-sized aircraft) were reported in 2013. During that same period the number for drone-strikes was... ZERO!
We all remember the United flight that crashed into the Hundson river as a result of bird-strike. Not a recreational drone to be seen at the time.
The bottom line is that yes, there is a small degree of risk associated with the use of recreational drones but it is very, very clear that those who fear for their jobs and those who want to sell the sensational have both worked to grossly over-state the magnitude of this problem.
Of course there will always be idiots who act in a way that endangers the safety of others. However, even under existing laws, the act of reckless endangerment covers that type of activity -- whether it's done with a drone, a car or an axe.
Once drones are made illegal, only the criminals will have them. Now is that a situation we really want?
Never underestimate the stupidity of a politician -- history is filled with evidence as to the risks associated with doing so.
Cite for some of the stats used above
The scary thing is that these days, you can't trust a single-thing that the US government says or does -- so why would you think that this was a new thing?
To he honest, I don't know if the moon landings were faked but, given the technology of the day (especially computer tech), I for one would *never* have signed up to be an astronaut on those missions.
Given the way governments of the world have proven themselves to be highly deceptive and untrustworty and much as I'd love to believe that all the stuff I saw as a kid in respect to the moon landings was true... there *has* to be a haunting doubt in the back of my mind.
I'm not going to say either way -- except that I would *not* be surprised if the conspiracy theorists were, at some stage in the distant future, proven right.
HobbyKing have some fine products but when it comes to racing FPV quadcopters, they're not the best source of things like frames. They're still behind the eight-ball in that area.
These videos show you how to build one of these craft and where to get the bits:
Low-cost racing mini-quadcopter build
"I imagine I could really hurt someone if I crashed my 250 into their face"
And every year people are injured and killed when playing or when as a spectator at dozens of different sports. Life without adrenaline is sleep!