Post: #1

Even hobbyists can put guns on drones. I can only imagine what Pentagon contractors are developing.

Post: #2

It is a natural progression. why field men when you can build and field bots?

Post: #3

Maybe war without human casualties is not so bad, but I worry about small scale application of this technology.

I imagine it will not be safe anymore to leave your windows open.

I imagine drones will do a lot of spying and assassination trough open windows.

Perhaps they could even do theft trough windows, if they manage to attach some robotic arm.

It will not even be safe to have closed windows because glass shatter easily.

Drones could change world in big ways. Maybe we will return to medieval architecture - our future homes might have only small windows like boltholes, metal grills and even bulletproof glass could be a default setting of any home and apartment.

I believe we are past the point where technology keeps making lives better.

Post: #4

(07-17-2015 02:32 AM)Mage Wrote:  I imagine it will not be safe anymore to leave your windows open.

I imagine drones will do a lot of spying and assassination trough open windows.

Perhaps they could even do theft trough windows, if they manage to attach some robotic arm.

It will not even be safe to have closed windows because glass shatter easily.

Drones could change world in big ways. Maybe we will return to medieval architecture - our future homes might have only small windows like boltholes, metal grills and even bulletproof glass could be a default setting of any apartment.

I believe we are past the point where technology keeps making lives better.

The most terrifying threat is from tiny "insect bots" that can imperceptibly spy on you or (if you're that important) do away with you by "stinging" with lethal toxins.

With that said, I don't really think we've reached a point of technological sophistication beyond which technology does more harm then good. It's just that we've had the misfortune of getting all the faggy tech and none of the cool stuff we were promised. Still no cure for cancer or flying cars or Mars colonies. Instead, we get bullshit apps, drones (which let's face it take the joy out of flight in addition to being a real threat to privacy and feeling safe) and more apps.

I could definitely use more technology when it comes to things like extending human lifespans, protecting joints from wear and tear, cheaper energy, exotic space propulsion, etc. Unfortunately, the technology that's coming up on the horizon will give us nothing but instead take things away: jobs, privacy, control, and so on. I guess technological change follows societal change, and since society is trending faggy so it technology.

Post: #5

Quote:Maybe war without human casualties is not so bad

It will be irresistible for humans to develop AI on their armed drones. You know what comes next...

Post: #6

I'm skeptical how practical and cost effective small arms drones will be. Probably something we'll see eventually, but in the near future? Eh...

Robots are expensive and difficult to design. Lower class human males are a dime a dozen.
No point fixing something that isn't broke.

Plus, we've been using UAVs to bomb shit for decades, nothing horribly futuristic about it at this point.

Post: #7

(07-17-2015 02:47 AM)Fast Eddie Wrote:  Instead, we get bullshit apps, drones (which let's face it take the joy out of flight in addition to being a real threat to privacy and feeling safe) and more apps.

I know how you feel, people used to dream in comics about things Iron Man flying in a tech suit, that would be awesome like in first movie.

But even the latest Iron Man movie showed that Tony Stark just sits on a private yacht and controls the suit remotely, the suit does all the job while the pilot can sit and gobble up donuts - not cool and interesting anymore. That movie sucked because of this. It also showed how all this advanced technology left the mans domain and became so easy to use even women could - it empowered Pepper Pots the frail female who transformed from submissive and pleasant assistant as she was in the first move to an stupid angry bitch who then made Tony to castrate himself by blowing up his suits - the children of his intellectual labor. All of this is very alike modern technology turns out - sucking away fun and giving power to females thus ruining them.

On the bright side, drones could be means for people to fight back against tyranny as this technology is rather cheap and accessible. A small group of a few well coordinated engineers and remote pilots could accomplish pretty serious operations even with hobby drones equipped with the right equipment.

Post: #8

I can envision suicide bomb packed drones flying into the white house

Post: #9

I think there is a vast difference between drones attacking poorly armed or even completely helpless targets in Pakistan, and drones attacking army positions of a major country. The capabilities and response speed of a drone, even once AI is improved, are very limited and not at all suited to fighting a well-armed and organized enemy.

Just try sending a drone to shoot or drop bombs at any actual military target. It will get shot down faster than you can say "Predator"!

Post: #10

They are developing robot foot soldiers that can be dropped into battle from 60000 feet into the Middle East controlled by a man in Virginia. The robots are capable of short flight, and walk on four legs. They are talking about reducing infantry into 1/10 of what we have now by 2027 and our primary boots on the ground being these quadruped things. We are in conflicts now in South America , Eastern Europe and the Middle East and no one in America really is affected daily, once these quadrupeds get in service all the third world shit holes could be invaded and no one stateside will even notice.

Post: #11

bad shit, you do that, then the only target are civilians.

it used to be army would fight army, with the arm yleft in the field appearing a threat to the civilian populace, whose army had been vanquished, therefore succumbing to the threat.

Now, robot vanquishes other robots? it's just a contest of industrial output, and alliances will even shit up.

All that's left it to hit the civlians before the other side does.

Post: #12

(07-17-2015 03:05 AM)Ziltoid Wrote:  I'm skeptical how practical and cost effective small arms drones will be. Probably something we'll see eventually, but in the near future? Eh...

Robots are expensive and difficult to design. Lower class human males are a dime a dozen.
No point fixing something that isn't broke.

Plus, we've been using UAVs to bomb shit for decades, nothing horribly futuristic about it at this point.

The problem is that in 1st world armies, humans are extraordinarily expensive. It costs millions of dollars per year to deploy a single soldier. Add to mention critical care of wounded, benefits, base housing for cheating wives, transgender accommodation, teaching them not to rape, and a hundred other things beside. A $5,000 drone at 1/20 the combat capability is a bargain.

Post: #13

(07-17-2015 02:32 AM)Mage Wrote:  Maybe war without human casualties is not so bad, but I worry about small scale application of this technology.

There will never be war without human casualties. The purpose of war is to kill people and take their shit. Most western men recoil in horror at the thought of deliberately killing women, children, and the elderly. It's less than honorable. Even "collateral damage" has a psychological cost on war fighters. Killing machines, and drones just makes it easier, because it's a 2 dimensional image done from far away. This will just make killing easier. I hate this shit.

Post: #14

(07-17-2015 02:32 AM)Mage Wrote:  Maybe war without human casualties is not so bad, but I worry about small scale application of this technology.

Do you just mean casualties of those driving the drones - because there will plenty of casualties of people dying from drones.

Post: #15

I think much of the hysteria over drones is justified, but misplaced. The real beauty/danger of drones is not in their application by government against foreign armies, but in their potential for asymmetric warfare on home soil.

John Robb has done some interesting work on this, on his Global Guerillas blog.

Essentially the real danger of drones is how easily and inexpensively they can be used for surveillance, and for very cheap but highly disruptive attacks. Leaving aside the obvious risk that a drone packed with a limited amount of explosives and ball bearings could be flown into the ground in front of a VIP, or in a public place, there is also the very real opportunity for widespread disruption and chaos. For example - a cheap drone with a payload of chainlink fence turned into tacks could be flown over a motorway at rush hour, and the payload released, crippling road networks very quickly, very inexpensively. This could be combined with coordinated man-powered attacks on other targets.

I don't want to go into too much detail on other ways these things could be used (which are many and varied) on a public forum, but the examples above are on John Robb's page and hopefully the powers that be will come for him first

The sort of events I'm talking about though would be very easily put into action by lone wolf terrorists, and small cells of terrorists. The future of warfare is likely to place a greater emphasis on the role of the individual/small team, and reduce the effectiveness of the military industrial complex. The advances in OPSEC/PERSEC technology and practises will be one of the primary factors in the effectiveness of future asymmetric warfare, particularly as we become more reliant on computerised systems to run our critical infrastructure. The advent of drones and ever more complex machinery could just as easily be the military's undoing.

Post: #16

(07-17-2015 02:32 AM)Mage Wrote:  Maybe war without human casualties is not so bad, but I worry about small scale application of this technology.

I imagine it will not be safe anymore to leave your windows open.

I imagine drones will do a lot of spying and assassination trough open windows.

Perhaps they could even do theft trough windows, if they manage to attach some robotic arm.

It will not even be safe to have closed windows because glass shatter easily.

Drones could change world in big ways. Maybe we will return to medieval architecture - our future homes might have only small windows like boltholes, metal grills and even bulletproof glass could be a default setting of any home and apartment.

I believe we are past the point where technology keeps making lives better.

I agree with most of your post, except the part about less human casualties. I think this type of technology will be used to kill humans, sure there will be combat between machines/devices, but primarily this stuff is designed to make killing humans easier, human will always be the #1 target.

edit: excuse me, I hadn't seen vinman and CHT say pretty much what I said.

Post: #17

Drone + IED + next Davos/G7/Bilderberger meeting.

It's not a question of technology, it's a question of will.

Anyone can be touched.

WIA

Post: #18

(07-17-2015 03:30 AM)Glaucon Wrote:  I can envision suicide bomb packed drones flying into the white house

completely feasible, an explosive armed drone is essentially just a 'redneck cruise missile'

Post: #19

There is a weakness to drones and robotic technology. EMP. If drones become popular then small scale EMP bombs will be developed. Humans will still dominate the battlefield but drone support will still have uses.

Post: #20

I remember watching the army doing a death from above (no drones, but the COD killstreak machince gun) on the muslim in the Middle East. I can't remember if the last one went in the truck or hid in the back. Either way it was like being struck by lightning. Playing God so to speak. And to think a mirco version known as drones are entering the realm of normalcy is pretty distrubing.

Post: #21

(07-17-2015 08:51 AM)Dr. Howard Wrote:  

(07-17-2015 03:30 AM)Glaucon Wrote:  I can envision suicide bomb packed drones flying into the white house

completely feasible, an explosive armed drone is essentially just a 'redneck cruise missile'

Probably not the White House. In Iraq and Afghanistan the coalition forces used electronic countermeasures to disrupt radio controlled IEDs. So the opposing forces went to pressure plates, and other means. I'm willing to bet that high value targets have these countermeasure available.

Post: #22

(07-17-2015 09:32 AM)vinman Wrote:  

(07-17-2015 08:51 AM)Dr. Howard Wrote:  

(07-17-2015 03:30 AM)Glaucon Wrote:  I can envision suicide bomb packed drones flying into the white house

completely feasible, an explosive armed drone is essentially just a 'redneck cruise missile'

Probably not the White House. In Iraq and Afghanistan the coalition forces used electronic countermeasures to disrupt radio controlled IEDs. So the opposing forces went to pressure plates, and other means. I'm willing to bet that high value targets have these countermeasure available.

To an extent. The big worry is when transitioning between places where it simply isn't viable to have jammers running (as you know, an expensive, and serious operation requiring significant kit to do effectively). There are an awful lot of systempunkts for even the most high profile of targets.

Post: #23

The fact that even members of the power elite who would make money off AI like Bill Gates and Elon Musk are worried about it says a lot.

Post: #24

It's not war without human casualties.

Post: #25

Maybe I'll just remove my tinfoil hat and start making chaff.