New Robots Hunt Pirates by Sea

mattnyc99 writes "PopularMechanics.com takes a peek into the growing world of high-tech piracy on the open seas, which the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard are looking to cut off by investing in a new fleet of superfast, gun-mounted unmanned surface vessels (USVs). From the article: "The Interceptor is available now. But the USV market is just getting started: Two months ago, British defense firm Qinetiq debuted its own robotic vessel, the jetski-size Sentry. Among its potential duties is intruder investigation, which could include scouting out unidentified boats, along the lines of the raft that detonated alongside the USS Cole in Yemen, as well as offering a first look at a possible pirate-controlled vessel.""

Not piracy

[loshwomp (468955)]

Remember, it's not piracy, it's "unauthorized copying". Oh, wait...

Re:

[biocute (936687)]

I think it still holds true: It's not piracy, it's unauthorized crimes.

Re:Not piracy

[loshwomp (468955)]

It's not piracy, it's unauthorized crimes.

Wait, the crimes are unauthorized? Are you trying to confuse me?

Re:Not piracy

[Hijacked Public (999535)]

Yes to the first, no to the second.

Essentially the crimes are not authorized unless you fill out the authorization forms first.

And by authorization forms I mean the documents needed to start a corporation.

Or win an election.

Thats how you get authorized.

More than likely the little ships will get pirated

[by Anonymous Coward]

It's only a matter of time. They crank 1000 of these onto the ocean, the hackers go "oh, hey, wait a minute!" and bam, they've got 1000 gun mounted boats at their disposal, patched of course, so the same trick can't work twice.

This shit is getting fucking unreal.

The next step in evolution

[glittalogik (837604)]

It's time. The days of zombie PCs are numbered. The future is...

Zombie robot pirates!

Do you realise just how much more awesome the world is about to become?

Re:More than likely the little ships will get pira

[Instine (963303)]

Its allright. I'm sure they'll listen to Reason.

Re:More than likely the little ships will get pira

[davidsyes (765062)]

Some of the robots will/may be equipped with various types of sensors: low-light, acoustical, shape-recognition, infrared, etc. For any pirates backed by corrupt local governments (or, distant ones with much to lose if piracy is crimped), it'll be inevitable and logical that "seduction mines" (influence/proximity/remote-detonation) will disrupt operations. Either some of these jet-ski-like sentries will be blown up, or they'll be diverted/distracted since the operators won't want to needlessly lose them. Su

Re:

[sych (526355)]

People supply zombie PCs with electricity and an internet connection because the infection is generally done surreptitiously.

So do the same with the robot boats... hijack them in a way that will go undetected, so whoever owns them will continue to fuel and maintain them for you. Once you've taken over a good number of them, and they're all fueled up, you're ready to strike!

Re:

[mpe (36238)]

For example - who is going to add gas, oil, maintenance etc. to a zombied boat?

Pirates (the real kind) apparently have little trouble getting hold of fuel and munitions. Even in the days of sailing ships gunpowder didn't grow on trees...

Re:

[camperslo (704715)]

I guess now the pirates can learn how to steal Robot Hunting Vessels and reprogram them to be Robotic Pirate Vessels?

Maybe someday we'll have war where all the silly humans can just stay home and watch it on television.

Robot pirate hunters?

[Guido del Confuso (80037)]

All hail our robotic sea ninja overlords!

Global Warming

[Nefarious Wheel (628136)]

Arrr, to be sure, this be underwritten by His Noodley Spaghettiness himself. Robots. Pirates. All hail the touch of His Noodly Jetski!

Ooh arrr, what be a Jetski anyway? Russian Hanna-Barbera futurist?

Keep it a Secret

[failedlogic (627314)]

I don't understand the rationale behind this. If these boats are going to patrol the waters for enemy boats, terrorists, or protect troops and the other side hasn't thought of, designed or implemented this idea, why let it out? Don't let the information get out and keep it secret. I understand there could be ulterior motives here, or a company hungry for a large contract. But military spending budgets have lots of room for secret spending.

Re:

[weak* (1137369)]

...why let it out?

The enemy's perception of threat is almost as useful as a genuine threat. They'll never deploy enough of these things to be 100% effective, so scaring them away is a good strategy.

Re:Keep it a Secret

[bombastinator (812664)]

because the main point of a deterrent is to be a deterrent. For example, while cops do have unmarked cars the vast majority are pretty gaudily painted. Police uniforms are designed to make them look larger and more imposing. The idea, at least in most cases, is not to get someone to commit the crime so you can catch him, but to deter them from attempting it in the first place.

Re:Keep it a Secret

[bombastinator (812664)]

Ironically yes.

They have done tests using examples of police uniforms and asking citizens what type of uniform made them feel most secure. They ranged from the wildly florid with knee high leather boots and helmets and epaulets and whatnot, to guys in blue blazers with all their gear hidden under the coats.

The overwhelming winner were the uniforms with as much testosterone laced leather froo-froo as could be sewn to them.

Re:Keep it a Secret

[Cassius Corodes (1084513)]

Excellent, my stocks in testosterone laced leather froo-froos are going to go thru the roof!

Re:Keep it a Secret

[daeg (828071)]

Oh, sorry. That was me buying my annual supply causing artificial inflation for the current quarter. Sorry.

Re:

[mikael (484)]

There is another purpose. The article mentions that one of the tactics used by the pirates is to send out a fake distress call. Then whatever vessel approaches the pirates then becomes hijacked and ransomed for money. If a AUV ship is sent out, it can pick up survivors (if it is a genuine distress call) or shoot the **** out of the pirates.

Re:

[mikael (484)]

I read the story about the Killer Robot Cannon [wired.com]. Not sure if the picture is the system is question or if it's a frame from Starship Troopers".

Re:

[mpe (36238)]

This is about right. If you can have an automated boat loaded with explosives why risk a suicide run.

Only if the robot boat is cheaper than a regular boat and a fool.

"high-tech piracy on the open seas"

[Kingrames (858416)]

"high-tech piracy on the open seas"?
Good lord, waterproof robot pirates? We're DOOMED!

Snowcrash

[Scrameustache (459504)]

First it's unmanned sea vessels, then it's nuclear powered cyborg dogs who dream of flying steaks.

Or, if you prefer reality to science fiction: Robert Work, a retired Marine officer and analyst at the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments in Washington, said piracy is a "persistent threat" that the Navy has worked to address in recent years. [...] "Essentially, you don't want to use a billion dollar DDG [guided missile destroyer] to suppress pirates [military.com],"

Re:

[Ironsides (739422)]

Geez, at least give the full quote for context.

"Essentially, you don't want to use a billion dollar DDG [guided missile destroyer] to suppress pirates," Work said. "That's a mission for a much smaller ship. But we have a lot of ships in that area because of ongoing operations in the Horn of Africa. These are ships designed for high-end war fighting, not chasing pirates."

Using a DDG for this is like using a pile drive to crush a beer can.

Pirate Dread

[by Anonymous Coward]

"We are the Dread Pirate Robots. There will be no survivors."

If only we had a remotely-operated wheelbarrow... That would be something!

Re:Pirate Dread

[glittalogik (837604)]

Can we have a mod for +6 You Just Took A Part Of My Childhood And Made It Awesome?

Awesome!

[Daimanta (1140543)]

Robots, with lasers, mounted on sharks, fighting pirates, with the help of ninjas.

apologies to spongebob

[shineyboy (840750)]

Who hunts down pirates on the high seas?
ROBOT GUNBOATS!
Dangerous and deadly and fatal they be!
ROBOT GUNBOATS!
If nautical mercy is something you wish,
ROBOT GUNBOATS!
Then put up your hands or sleep with the fish!
ROBOT GUNBOATS!

MOD PARENT UP

[SeaFox (739806)]

That was great.

Autonomous boats sounds like a bad idea

[Cthefuture (665326)]

I noticed they were talking some about possibly making them autonomous. That just seems like a really bad idea. What you would have is a weapon system disconnected from command. The enemy could set up a trap for these machines, capture them and then have some high-tech stuff at their disposal. Unlike a UAV, it seems like it would be pretty easy to catch one of these surface machines using any number of methods even if they normally can protect themselves with weapon systems. If they can't protect themselves then it would be even easier to capture them.

Very true, and also...

[caitsith01 (606117)]

...it's fundamentally unethical, illegal and immoral (depending on your particular morality, I suppose) to allow an autonomous machine to roam free with the capability (and intent) to kill human beings.

For one thing, we read here every day about the endless ways in which software farks up.

Furthermore, I find the whole notion of armed robots cruising around freely in any kind of environment - war zone or not - extremely disturbing. How do we ensure they only kill what we want them to kill? Who is accountable when they do kill things? Does the extra layer of separation between commanding officer and 'target' make it more likely that decision makers will authorise killing?

These toys are very neat from a tech perspective, but they create a perception that killing human beings is like a video game of some description.

Re:Very true, and also...

[Jah-Wren Ryel (80510)]

For one thing, we read here every day about the endless ways in which software farks up

Yes, like this recent case: Robot Cannon Kills 9, Wounds 14. [wired.com]

Re:

[darkmeridian (119044)]

The automated gunship may also freak out and kill some innocent fishermen.

I feel safer already

[yotto (590067)]

What could possibly go wrong? I mean, I'd love my cruise ship to get checked out by the naval equivalent of ED-209.

"YOU HAVE 10 SECONDS TO COMPLY"

As the old saying goes:

[by Anonymous Coward]

int C = 1

if ( by land ) {
    return C;
}
else
    return ++C;
}

Is it bad if...

[ls -la (937805)]

... my first thought is, "The RIAA is going too far this time."

A tragic error in scale...

[bombastinator (812664)]

Hmm... a jet ski sized robot attempting to observe and engage in the open ocean.. I wonder if any of these guys have actually been in the open ocean?

The sea is big people. The waves are big, the wind is big and the ships are big. A really small boat just barely big enough to manage to stay afloat semi-reliably in open ocean is generally 30 feet long or more. They do make them shorter, but generally only as a stunt. What is a four foot tall vehicle going to do against a vessel with steel and concrete sides that reach probably at least 10-15 feet up? These things are going to present about as much threat to the average ocean going vessel as a chihuahua attempting to pee on one's foot.

We also mentioned the sea is big. Average swell depending on area can be 8 feet on a calm day. this means a jet ski about 4 feet high is going to either spend 75% of its time inside the trough of a swell unable to see squat, or skipping along the swell tops in a way that is going to strongly resemble video froma a surfboard cam. Very splashy but not too useful.

As a harbor or shore defense weapon I can see these being possibly quite useful against similarly sized vessels like dinghies and maybe cigarette boats, but anything offshore is unrealistic.

Surveillance instead of engagement?

[Radon360 (951529)]

Well, for engagement, I'd certainly agree with your point, but for surveillance, I'd think the platform would have a number of advantages.

The first one is stealth, if it's capable of hiding in between the seas, then you'll have a heck of a time picking it up on ship radar. Even if it is seen, it'll blend in fairly well with the sea clutter on the display. Helicopters and airplanes stick out like a sore thumb, both visually and on radar.

The second is speed. Although they'd take a significant hit in higher seas, they can potentially put up with more banging and bouncing around than a human crew could ever take. And, with the unit being virtually encapsulated, seaworthiness is no longer an issue (the water it would take would be minimal).

And as far as surveillance goes, couldn't a simple telescoping arm with a camera equipped with gyro-stabilized optics be employed? You couldn't use it effectively underway, but a slow/stop speed it would give you a decent vantage. I regularly use a 14x power set of gyro-stabilized binoculars and I can read boat registration numbers (3" high block letters) fairly easily from over a half-mile away in 5 foot sea conditions.

Let's face it, Popular Mechanics likes to write fluff, and whatever they can do to make something sound more cool, sexy and manly is their primary M.O. Step back, look at the actual facts (in which there are few in this case) and not the claims of the marketing group, nor the speculation and opinions of the writers and the real potential uses start to become visible.

Re:

[linzeal (197905)]

They will make them when the average American hits 1000 lbs. I presume this will happen somewhere in Michigan. There will be a cup holder and a sausage dispenser.

N4v33 Pw0n3d

[bigattichouse (527527)]

dah leet pirates wit millions of $$$ will h4xor your unmanned vessels. duh. It will work for a while, and then it will just escalate the stakes. And when you have limitless manual labor, you can afford to send out fishermen that blow up the unmanned vessels. (by holding their family hostage). "Don't mind me, I'm just fishing, see ya later... smile and wave" (boom).

I Only read the title, but ...

[kramulous (977841)]

OMG! Oh My God! Oh my god, Oh my god, OH MY GOD!!!!!

If this stuff is not what dreams are made of, then I'll eat my eye patch.

This is the only question that needs asked

[jollyreaper (513215)]

Do we have ninja available? Because that would be the battle royale of all time: pirate vs. robot vs. ninja. Just $49.99 on pay-per-view!

Fast maned anti-pirate vessels

[arthurpaliden (939626)]

Why not use this class of fast maned vessel, HMCS Bras d'Or (FHE 400) [wikipedia.org]. They can cruse in ocean waters and due to their speed are able to get on the scene very quickly and no ship can outrun them.

This is stupid

[Deliveranc3 (629997)]

How long until these things ARE THE PIRATES!

"THIS VESSEL IS A SATELITE CONTROLLED DRONE... PROVIDE 64 bank account access codes or it will OPEN FIRE! Your airwaves are being monitored!"

If this tech spreads into the world of piracy an isolated problem for the super rich may start striking all boaters... My sailing dingy is NOT bulletproof.

Popular Mechanics?

[Hoi Polloi (522990)]

I'm still waiting for the flying cars Popular Mechanics promised me in 1950, and 1951, and 1952...

Re:

[dwater (72834)]

I noticed that too. I took it as emphasis on which part of the vehicle is dominant.

I mean, the boat part isn't so important, so long as it has a massive gun. Right?

Re:

[glittalogik (837604)]

No it's still correct, in that they have been mounted with guns. It's the same syntax as, say, ginseng-infused underwear [news.com.au].

Modern day piracy...

[NotQuiteReal (608241)]

Most piracy today, typically has help of an inside man.

Typically it will be at night, in the straights south of Singapore. 4-5 guys suddenly appear with big machetes, and they know where to be because the inside guy told them when and where. Oh, yeah, the traitors are on watch at the time...

Cell phones and text messages work for good and ill.

I am an gung-ho as the next guy, but If I am one seaman in a crew of 12 on a small freighter and I don't know which of my mates are "in on it", shooting it out with the pirates in front and the traitors at my back is not worth it. Take the stuff, it is not mine anyhow.

Seriously, if you want to stop piracy, shipping companies need to do better background checks on their employees.

Re:Sigh. I love American grammar...

[bigstrat2003 (1058574)]

Hate to break it to you, dude, but like any other nation, we have citizens who proofread their work, and citizens who don't. Where do you get off criticizing "American" grammar like it's all one unit?