Posted on 07/14/2023 5:14:36 PM PDT by Libloather
Sounds like a satellite. Certainly nothing useful for transport.
The Russian S-550 Air Defense System (now finishing up testing) can take out satellites, so if the British want to get cute with this drone, I wish them luck.
Dean Ing was writing science fiction about aircraft like this some 40 years ago. Nice to see some of it finally happening.
Call within the next 19 minutes and get a second one for free!
We tested a similar concept plane at Yuma Proving Ground more than 10 years ago. I suspect battery tech has improved considerably since then.
Sounds like a good compliment to our U-2 and Global Hawk surveillance platforms. The Russians can shoot them down too, you takes steps to mitigate it.
Why ship it? If it has GPS it can just fly itself to your house. ;-)
After one actually stays aloft for a year then I’ll believe it.
I am pretty sure I remember some firms were developing this technology back in the 1980’s...anyone remember for sure?
Most likely this will be used to soy on western cities. “Hmmm. It seems you put up an illegal garden shed Mr. Smith.”
I know this because I worked on a long range drone an Austrian city bought to spy on their cities. They are probably already used all over, but this new one can stay up for a year and collect every millimeter of movement in real time.
I have an electric wall clock in my kitchen, you know, the one above the sink?
It’s been plugged in and running for 40+ years and keeps perfect time.
Sometimes, simple is a very good thing.
Solar power, basic motors, temperature and pressure accommodated, some impact resistance.
Solar powered flying thing goes for a year, sure. And it’s probably not all that complicated.
Now, if they could get my EZ Pass to work as effortlessly, we would really have something.
Have you ever read the story ‘Memorial’ circa 1946?
Well worth the time looking.
ABSOLUTELY. Sickening, but that is what has become of what once were ‘free’ societies.
“After one actually stays aloft for a year”
Yep
This is just like the rediculous claims about LED light bulbs lasting almost forever? (power supplies fail, so will batteries on the solar powered plane)
Sure, I remember that story, though I’m not quite sure how it pertains to this thread. Theodore Sturgeon has always been one of my favorite sf authors, and I have nearly everything he wrote, including the 13-volume Complete Short Stories. I’ll always regret not going to meet him before he died, when I lived not too far away.
This one worked for a whole day so they have 20 months in the bag no sweat.
If you have a Weld County License, can you shoot it down if it’s over your property?
“150kg, same as a panda bear…”
Seems like a weird comparison.
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