Comment by John Hestness on June 10, 2012 at 12:18pm

I heard a rumor (ok, I'm starting the rumor) that AMA is going to install these at all sanctioned airfields.  You know, to deal with drones, FPV, and any other new fangled travisties.

Comment by Gerry Lichter on June 10, 2012 at 1:51pm

Sounds like a tiger-repellent rock. Ratheon should solve the very real problem of goodyear blimp hijackings next. 

Seriously though, outside Israel's problems with HAMAS and the FBI's terror plot, is there any reason to be concerned about these Tom Clancy plot-lines?

I think it's an interesting engineering problem, and at a <50kW Ratheon sounds like they're selling an appropriately sized hammer relative to the scale of the problem. When I first saw the article I thought this was the Tactical High Energy Laser rebranded for a new application. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tactical_High_Energy_Laser

The cost of firing that at a $100 Easy Star is obviously bad business, but 50kW seems more reasonable.

I'm just wonder what other sorts of UFOs we can sell giant lasers with? Comets? Thrown shoes? Kamikaze Ultralights? Engorged pigeons?

Then again, this type of nay-saying may be the origin of "generals always fight the last war" quotes.

Comment by David Weaver on June 10, 2012 at 3:36pm

Interesting that economics is a concern.

I mentioned The President, Senators, banks, police, border-patrol drones, crowds, and electricity users.  How much would you think it is worth to disable or eliminate these?  The relatively low cost and the dramatically increasing capability of UAVs indeed relieve constraints and thus makes this an engineering problem.

UAV enthusiasts have an opportunity (and the responsibility) to develop anti-drone capabilities and to influence laws (before politicians, terrorized public, commercial interests, etc. do).

p.s., A bit of humor is permitted in brainstorming, but great ideas come from crowd thought.

Comment by Adam Amos on June 10, 2012 at 5:01pm

ZOMGLASERPEWPEWPEW

Comment by arashi on June 10, 2012 at 6:27pm

Just cover your quad with disco ball mirrors.

Practical and stylish.

Comment by Russkel on June 11, 2012 at 2:32am

- Using drones, all police cars, armored vehicles, or Senators are located on a Google map

I agree. It would be very embarrasing finding out your senators spend most of their time at brothels.

Comment