Monday, November 18, 2013
Good thing it wasn't loaded
Because we have had ample evidence of what an armed drone can do. And now we have evidence that they are capable of turning on those they are supposed to serve.
Officials are trying to determine why a drone being used as part of a Navy training exercise malfunctioned off the Ventura County coast Saturday.Maybe the "pilot" was just trying to buzz the ship and the "pilot" misjudged? If so, and a drone can't miss a ship in the middle of the ocean, perhaps they are not ready for general use in US air space.
Two sailors suffered minor burns in the incident, the Navy said in a statement.
A spokeswoman for the U.S. Third Fleet told the Associated Press that it is unclear what went wrong.
The ship sustained some damage and is returning to its home port of San Diego, the Navy said.
The sailors aboard the guided-missile cruiser Chancellorsville were using the drone to test the ship's radar-tracking system, something done on a regular basis. The drone, a 13-foot-long aircraft with a wingspan of nearly 6 feet, was being controlled from Point Mugu.
Around 1:25 p.m., the drone slammed into the port side of the ship, which has a crew of about 300.
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According to an old Navy salt of my acquaintance, these drones are 1960's vintage target drones and are radio controlled from line of sight to be used for gunnery practice by the anti-aircraft gunners. Probably something happened to distract the operator and he lost sight of the drone. Shit happens. Compared to some of the things the Navy does, shooting at unarmed 1960's vintage drones doesn't begin to rise to the level of dangerous duty.
- Badtux the MIlitary Penguin
- Badtux the MIlitary Penguin
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