About

Gender

Male


Location

Chattanooga, TN


About Me:

Retired controls engineer


Please tell us a bit about your UAV interest

Curiosity


Hometown:

Chattanooga, TN


Activity Feed

Sam Spade commented on Jacob Cereteli's blog post Fixed-wing UAV launch from car top
"Dwgsparky: Right, but all those problems apply to the kind of vehicle take-off described in this article, don't they? Cross-winds could still blow the drone into a pole before it got height enough after release, and overhead wires would still be a…"
Jan 24, 2017
Sam Spade commented on Jacob Cereteli's blog post Fixed-wing UAV launch from car top
"Was caught by your comment that a road take-off takes considerable training. Not being very knowledgeable in drones, I was rather surprised by that. Don't they make some sort of laser beacon which can be set on the roadway to guide the aircraft for…"
Jan 24, 2017
Sam Spade commented on Chris Anderson's blog post New service to "take control of reckless or malicious drones"
"@Tim Wilkin: You have confused 'moral' and 'legal', a common problem with today's government. If you doubt that, consider the concept of 'Civil Forfeiture'. Or the idea that the state can take your children if some administrator doesn't like the way…"
Feb 8, 2016
Sam Spade commented on Duffy's blog post World's first hydrogen pellet drone flight
"Great post, thank you. I read the referenced article but found it light/confusing on technical details, though. Any chance you can elaborate a little?

What is the chemical composition of the "hydrogen pellets"? The article says they are heated to…"
Feb 5, 2016
Sam Spade commented on matucha123's blog post Dangerous close-up with aircraft braking rules
"There are actually good existing models for drone regulation. From the FAA's standpoint, ultralight aircraft have been on the books for many many years. Anything under 254 lbs (dry) requires NO REGULATION. Period. If you include the weight of pilot…"
Jan 25, 2016
Sam Spade commented on matucha123's blog post Dangerous close-up with aircraft braking rules
"You guys need to lighten up.  English is a difficult and idiosyncratic language.  I (and, I suspect, all of you that are being so rude) are fortunate enough to have learned it from birth.  Many people who have good ideas to present to the world are…"
Jan 23, 2016
Sam Spade commented on matucha123's blog post Dangerous close-up with aircraft braking rules
"It the US, the aircraft didn't break any rules. Not only that, but I don't see any near-miss issue here, at least from the video, as the aircraft was never close to the drone. As for landing on a 'closed' airport, this is legal in the US, as is…"
Jan 21, 2016
Sam Spade commented on Greg Dronsky's blog post Amazon Shows Off New Prime Air Drone With Hybrid Design
"Why would I want to shoot it down? I have a better idea.

Civilian GPS in the United States is unencrypted. So, if I see an Amazon drone flying over my house with a package attached, I would hit it with a GPS spoofer signal. True, the smarts to…"
Nov 30, 2015
Sam Spade commented on Chris Anderson's blog post New service to "take control of reckless or malicious drones"
"I can't believe how many of you don't get this at all.  It has nothing to do with 'safety' and everything to do with control.  Those in power in the U. S. don't want aerial pictures taken of politically-unpopular events.  This is about giving them…"
Oct 28, 2015
Sam Spade commented on Chris Anderson's blog post New service to "take control of reckless or malicious drones"
"When I was much younger, back in the days when honest speech was the norm, this would have been called piracy.
I anticipate a slew of lawsuits. Someone had better be able to prove self-defence or have a court-order in hand."
Oct 27, 2015
Sam Spade commented on Tom Mahood's blog post A public display of irresponsibility by a major newspaper
"Where are the pictures?  It's hard to make your case without showing the pictures.  Maybe I just got Windowed, but none showed up on my browser."
Aug 22, 2015
Sam Spade commented on Thomas J Coyle III's blog post Autonomous catamaran begins studying the Celtic Sea
"Mr. Coyle:

Not only doesn't their site not give any details on an anti-collision systems, but it doesn't even mention the subject.  I thought, based on your comment, that you had details on the boast other than what we can all read in the post.

I…"
Aug 21, 2015
Sam Spade commented on Thomas J Coyle III's blog post Autonomous catamaran begins studying the Celtic Sea
"Coyle: To the best of my knowledge, the only on-board marine 'collision avoidance system' that works at the moment is a pair of human eyeballs. What system are you referring to?"
Aug 21, 2015
Sam Spade commented on Thomas J Coyle III's blog post Mayflower Autonomous Research Ship to cross Atlantic without a crew
"I understand, Andrew.  Sorry if I took your point too seriously.
The problem with radar on small vessels at sea is that the antenna must be small, near the water, and be limited in the amount of power it can broadcast.  Granted that a vessel of 100'…"
Aug 16, 2015
Sam Spade commented on Thomas J Coyle III's blog post Mayflower Autonomous Research Ship to cross Atlantic without a crew
"Quadrocoter:  Actually, I sailed in a steel hull, much better than any radar reflector ever hoisted. But radar's are not deterministic systems. If they were, we would have done away with bridge watches long ago. A 100' vessel travelling at 20 knots…"
Aug 16, 2015
Sam Spade commented on Thomas J Coyle III's blog post Mayflower Autonomous Research Ship to cross Atlantic without a crew
"@Rabbitt: Please explain more about your anti-collision system. How will it avoid running down my fibreglass sailboat at 3 am when it is doing 20 knots and I am just ghosting along? I know my family would like to know."
Aug 16, 2015
More…