Robotics Firm Builds Pirate-Watching, Boat-Climbing Spybot

[Antari]

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Okay... but after this is properly developed and dirt cheap to make its gonna cost a little more to save a lot more lives (and possibly a boat - i dunno how much firepower them there russians like to use) I think the cost is worth it. How much do you value a life? Or your own life?

Well if its just me on the boat, I barely think I'm worth the fuel it'll take to get the ship into position to deploy either type of weapon. Especially since there wouldn't be any reason for me to be there other than to see whats there. And well I'd have an answer.

When the russian's pull up beside a pirate ship, nearly every crew member grabs a weapon and the entire ship starts a huge target practice session. Sometimes even the main guns get into it, if the targetting systems need some practice, they do tend to miss alot. But they rarely fire missiles, a few RPG's from hand held launchers but nothing too expensive.

 

[aww yea]

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Okay... but after this is properly developed and dirt cheap to make its gonna cost a little more to save a lot more lives (and possibly a boat - i dunno how much firepower them there russians like to use) I think the cost is worth it. How much do you value a life? Or your own life?

Well if its just me on the boat, I barely think I'm worth the fuel it'll take to get the ship into position to deploy either type of weapon. Especially since there wouldn't be any reason for me to be there other than to see whats there. And well I'd have an answer.

When the russian's pull up beside a pirate ship, nearly every crew member grabs a weapon and the entire ship starts a huge target practice session. Sometimes even the main guns get into it, if the targetting systems need some practice, they do tend to miss alot. But they rarely fire missiles, a few RPG's from hand held launchers but nothing too expensive.

its sad you value your life so lowly.. But its cool i'd rescue you! With a spybot. Not that i need one, just to bug you that you were rescued with it.

And that sounds like a lot of fun, russians really know how to piss about with serious stuff but still get shit done in an entirely serious way.

 

[OutforEC]

So, seems the moral of the story is that if you're ever captured by pirates, hope someone other than Russians rescue you.

 

[Antari]

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its sad you value your life so lowly.. But its cool i'd rescue you! With a spybot. Not that i need one, just to bug you that you were rescued with it.

And that sounds like a lot of fun, russians really know how to piss about with serious stuff but still get shit done in an entirely serious way.

I'm more of a firm believer that mother nature needs to be allowed to do her work.

 

[Thyunda]

I think it's a good idea. Attacking anything without intel is a bad idea, and potential hostage-carriers doubly so. It'd be useful for getting a feel for the layout of the ship, making estimates of crew numbers and weaponry, and just making operations a hell of a lot smoother.

 

[Technocrat]

Why waste the money on this? The Russian Navy is already dealing with them in the most cost effective and safest manner they can. Once a ship is confirmed to be a pirate ship, they open fire. How much is this robot going to cost? I'm fairly sure its more expensive than a few hundred machine gun rounds.

Because that doesnt work so well when the pirates have hostages...

[spoiler "Fire in the hole!"]

[/spoiler]

With several very prominent examples in recent years, the Russians just don't do hostage rescue in the traditional sense.

 

[teh_spartan]

Why waste the money on this? The Russian Navy is already dealing with them in the most cost effective and safest manner they can. Once a ship is confirmed to be a pirate ship, they open fire. How much is this robot going to cost? I'm fairly sure its more expensive than a few hundred machine gun rounds.

i guess the russians don't care IF CIVILIANS ARE ON BOARD. that is the only assumption one can make based on your statement.

But I can totally see some one just picking it up an trowing it off the ship. I would love to see their reaction when like hundreds of these start rolling up the sides of the ship. lol

 

[Dastardly]

Permalink

CLANG! "What the hell was that?" whirr whirr whirr whirr "Seriously. Pirate Jim, is that you?" "No, Pirate Steve. It sounds like it's coming from the side of the ship. Let's go look, and blow up whatever it is."

There's got to be a better delivery method for this thing. I mean, if you're already close enough and have enough info to be firing this camera at a ship, haven't you already pretty much ID'd the pirate?

I see the other uses you've mentioned as far more workable. Maybe they just haven't spelled out the particular anti-pirate role this critter plays, or perhaps I just suffer from a crippling lack of imagination today...

 

[Daemascus]

Why waste the money on this? The Russian Navy is already dealing with them in the most cost effective and safest manner they can. Once a ship is confirmed to be a pirate ship, they open fire. How much is this robot going to cost? I'm fairly sure its more expensive than a few hundred machine gun rounds.

Because that doesnt work so well when the pirates have hostages...

[spoiler "Fire in the hole!"]

[/spoiler]

With several very prominent examples in recent years, the Russians just don't do hostage rescue in the traditional sense.

And we are not Russian.

 

[AWC Viper]

If they look like pirates, just shoot them. Problem solved.

 

[Xersues]

OMG they're here! Run for your lives!

Spoiler

 

[ArmorArmadillo]

Big Brother is Watching

People always try to use this point whenever there's some new advance in reconnaissance with specific applications to suggest some covert all-seeing government, but that seems to miss the point of 1984. Big Brother wasn't some secret hidden watcher, the entire point was to control the people by making it big and loud and public that they were watching you.

 

[Squilookle]

And then, the pirates stick to rubber dinghys or wooden boats, if they aren't already only using them.

Back to the drawing board, Einstein...

 

[duedmen]

Big Brother is Watching

People always try to use this point whenever there's some new advance in reconnaissance with specific applications to suggest some covert all-seeing government, but that seems to miss the point of 1984. Big Brother wasn't some secret hidden watcher, the entire point was to control the people by making it big and loud and public that they were watching you.

good point I shall rephrase ALBERT WESKER IS WATCHING

 

[Dogstile]

Why waste the money on this? The Russian Navy is already dealing with them in the most cost effective and safest manner they can. Once a ship is confirmed to be a pirate ship, they open fire. How much is this robot going to cost? I'm fairly sure its more expensive than a few hundred machine gun rounds.

Because that doesnt work so well when the pirates have hostages...

There are some parts of life that are dangerous. When you get captured by pirates, thats one of them. Instead of wasting all this money on useless toys, they should be more concerned about making it absolutely lethal to be a pirate in today's waters. If you can garentee your going to get killed if you go out and try to capture a ship at sea, your probably not going to do it. Or atleast look for something a little easier or safer to do.

So you are saying if somebody is taken hostage by a pirate, it's their fault, and they just die along with the pirates because they had the misfortune to be there at the time?

What if they don't want to damage the boat that has been taken over? This just presents a good way to scout out the ship before boarding it. It could save lives. Seems pretty sensible to me.

Ya a few hostages are going to bite the big one ... but the pirates will get the message in time. And yes, if your dumb enough to pleasure cruise within 200 miles of Somalia with your American Registered sail-boat. You deserve your fate. As for large commercial vessels, they have safe rooms for the crew to hide in, hell it wouldn't be all that difficult to arm them. Its a problem that shouldn't even exist, and wouldn't if political correctness wasn't in full swing. The Russian's kill the pirates, we capture them, bring them back for a nice expensive court trial, feed and cloth them during that time. And either continue to cloth and feed them in a nice jail. Or we deport them, and they do it again. Personally I like the Russian plan better, even if a few hostages die.

I'd argue if you were the hostage you'd probably disagree. Surely it's the law enforcement agency to protect people's lives, and make them safe?

I think anyone would. That's not the point. The point he's suggesting is that if a few die and it stops pirates from being pirates because it gets them killed, then surely the greater good has been achieved.

 

[ArmorArmadillo]

Big Brother is Watching

People always try to use this point whenever there's some new advance in reconnaissance with specific applications to suggest some covert all-seeing government, but that seems to miss the point of 1984. Big Brother wasn't some secret hidden watcher, the entire point was to control the people by making it big and loud and public that they were watching you.

good point I shall rephrase ALBERT WESKER IS WATCHING

Vunderbar

 

[LaughingJester]

and then in the near future we can equip it with deadly toxin needle for assassination mission.

Spy robots being fired out of cannons? Little hand held tablets that we thought were cool in demolition man... It's FINALLY the future!