X47-B launches from aircraft carrier

[ctrlraven]

http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/155873-us-navys-x-47b-becomes-first-unmanned-jet-to-launch-from-a-carrier?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ziffdavis %2Fextremetech+%28Extremetech% 29

[VMARAUDER]

Totally an awsome event...I should have played more video games

[lji372]

holy smoke!!

very cool video:beer:

who said all the video game playing would be for nothing :lol:

[Krytin]

They use the word "autonomus" for it's flight and strike capabilities - can you say first Cylon!

http://media.battlestarwiki.org/images/c/c6/Kg_cg_ns_advanced-raider-002.jpg (http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=vcNVLDVGi71XFM&tbnid=HjtL8muZsX2OLM:&ved=0CAgQjRwwAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.imaging-resource.com%2Fnews%2F2013%2F0 1%2F11%2Fhand-launched-la100-uav-flyer-helps-amateur-pilots-capture-spectacular-aeri&ei=VJSaUZOVHabn0QHPv4HIDA&psig=AFQjCNGict2QTpl0BvkotMTh4 qMnB3O7UQ&ust=1369171412516094)

[L.Mark]

Cylons will be control by Skynet...:shake:

[Shaijack]

Look up, they will be watching us soon.

[guspech750]

And so it begins.


Sent from my iPhone 4S

DTR + 4.10's + Eaton swap = Wreeeeeeeeeeeeeeedom

[Vortech347]

I've been reloading more ammo than usual. I can tell because there is a drone that checks my house hourly now. Here comes Skynet!!!

[DEFYANT]

yeah... not a fan of this. Killing machines need to under complete control.

[Bluerauder]

yeah... not a fan of this. Killing machines need to under complete control.

They are under "human control". There is always a Man (or Woman)-in-the-Loop especially when weapons are involved.

My problem is cost. The current contract has grown to $813 Million to build 2 prototypes. I wonder how much the UCAS X-47B will be when it enters production??

Original intent of unmanned systems was to have a relatively cheap, expendable system that could be used in danger zones and keep operators/pilots from harm's way.

By comparison --

F/A-18F Super Hornet = $66.9 Million each
F-35A Lightning II = $78.0 Million each
F-22A Raptor = $142.7 Million each

My opinion is if the UCAS X-47B comes in much more than about $40 Million per copy, it will not be even close to "expendable". I suspect that it will come in much higher than that.

[cat in the hat]

I've been reloading more ammo than usual. I can tell because there is a drone that checks my house hourly now. Here comes Skynet!!!

I was shopping with a friend of mine yesterday, and we walked past a toy store with r/c helicopters in the window.
They were small - maybe 18" long - and it said on the box that they had video cameras in them. They were $89.

The guy in the doorway asked if I was interested in them. Just to get a rise out of the guy, I said "Yes, I want to watch my neighbor in the shower."

Without batting an eye, the guy told me that the small one wouldn't be good for that because it would be too unstable in light cross-winds, and recommended a larger model for $180. He also mentioned that they both recorded, too.

Now I wanted to see how far I could push this guy before he started talking about the Police. I asked him if the camera could zoom in, because the neighbor also had an outdoor shower near her pool.

Again, without missing a beat, he showed me a $200 helicopter that did not come with a camera. He said it was the best flyer he had, and was designed to carry a professional video camera. The remote had controls on it specifically for video, including a zoom button.

This went from LOL to WTF in under 2 minutes. I will be stocking up on birdshot ;)

[Vortex]

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/df/XB-47-1_300.jpg/800px-XB-47-1_300.jpg (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/df/XB-47-1_300.jpg)

I prefer "old school" B-47's.

[babbage]

Taking off is easy, landing a drone on the carrier is much harder!

[Vortech347]

I prefer "old school" B-47's.

Great photo. JATO's FTW.