[Archangelsk]

As a pilot, I have to say not no, but hell no, to this idea. We have enough problems in controlled airspace with saturation and now NASA wants to put something that violates the whole concept of "see and avoid" in the mix?

[Support Free Republic]

Aww man! Enough of the fundraiser posts!!!

Only YOU can make fundraiser posts go away. Please contribute!

[BeerSwillr]

I'm okay with it and I fly (as a passenger) every week. These UAVs are all piloted by someone on the ground. For these vehicles I say, "What's the difference between having a pilot in the plane or on the ground?"

[Thermalseeker]

As a pilot, I have to say not no, but hell no, to this idea.

AMEN! When ATC shows me they have a handle on piloted traffic, then I'll reconsider, but when I contstantly hear ATC make mistakes with piloted A/C I can only imagine what unpiloted A/C would add to the mix.

[JOE6PAK]

EXPLOIT ROBOT LABOR!

[xrp]

I wonder how long it will be until the US Military develops these as UAVs:

FYI, that's an HK (Hunter-Killer aka Human Killer) from the Terminator movies.

[Redcloak]

What's the big deal? I drive to work every morning surrounded by mindless drones.

[Dan Evans]

As a pilot, I have to say not no, but hell no, to this idea. We have enough problems in controlled airspace with saturation and now NASA wants to put something that violates the whole concept of "see and avoid" in the mix?

The "see-and-avoid" principle applies to highway traffic and it results in 40,000 deaths a year. If we need to have cargo moved across country I would prefer it be done by a drone at 40,000 feet under GPS guidance and computer control than by some meth-crazed trucker five feet off my bumper.

(Apologies in advance to meth-crazed truckers)

[MissAmericanPie]

Yeah, these drones will actually be used on the border areas. For what? Making sure an illegal doesn't sprain his ankle without help being called in within minutes? They certainly have no intention, as they prove every day, of detering his progress north, so this must be to eleminate injury or starvation, spy on border patrol groups, and citizens.

More likely drones will eventually be airborne to watch citizens, especially if any revolution begins to forment within the Balkanized masses.

[per loin]

Is this from Terminator I, II, or III?

[PureSolace]

I like the idea personally. But then again I love robots and new technology... more time for us to create art and music. :)