Armed Robot Drones To Join UK Police Force 311
Lanxon writes "British criminals should soon prepare to be shot at from unmanned airborne police robots. Last month it was revealed that modified military aircraft drones will carry out surveillance on everyone from British protesters and antisocial motorists to fly-tippers. But these drones could be armed with tasers, non-lethal projectiles and ultra-powerful disorienting strobe lighting apparatus, reports Wired. The flying robot fleet will range from miniature tactical craft such as the miniature AirRobot being tested by one police force, to BAE System's new 12m-wide armed HERTI drone as flown in Afghanistan."
Rubber bungs (Score:4, Funny)
The LRAD is a highly directional speaker made of a flat array of piezoelectric transducers, producing intense beam of sound in a 30-degree cone. It can be used as a loudhailer, or deafen the target with a jarring, discordant noise. Some ships now carry LRAD as an anti-pirate measure: It was used to drive off an attack on the Seabourn Spirit off Somalia in 2005.
I recommend UK people carry rubber bungs to put in their ears, in the case of planetary destruction by Vogons and attack by insane police UAVs.
Timeline (Score:5, Funny)
February 10 @ 6:43 PM: When Will AI Surpass Human Intelligence? [slashdot.org]
February 10 @ 9:45 PM: Six-legged Robot Teaches Itself to Walk [slashdot.org]
February 11 @ 2:24 AM: Armed Robot Drones to Join UK Police Force [slashdot.org]
In less than 8 hours we have gone from wondering about AI, to robots that have learned how to walk, to robots that are flying around shooting at people. This is all happening much too fast.
Re:What could possibly go wrong... (Score:3, Funny)
throw in nuclear powered autonomous plains too...
Autonomous geographical features? Sounds like a slowly developing problem to me.
Well I for one... (Score:2, Funny)
Re:What could possibly go wrong... (Score:1, Funny)
I favor autonomous forests. You don't need that much food and the extra production is worth it.
Re:Timeline (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Timeline (Score:2, Funny)
February 11 @ 8:32 AM: Toasters take over Earth [wikipedia.org]
But... (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Obligatory 1984 Reference (Score:5, Funny)
Am I the only one who thinks... (Score:3, Funny)
That flying ultra-powerful strobes are perfect for an outdoor rave?
Re:Obligatory 1984 Reference (Score:5, Funny)
Actually, I'd have to disagree with that.
They'll find a way to monetise this - have the robots automatically hand out fines, for instance - and believe me, within a year they will be amazingly efficient.
Re:Rubber bungs (Score:1, Funny)
WHAT?
Re:Timeline (Score:4, Funny)
Worst. Attempt to explain a lame and obscure inside joke in order to get modded up. Ever.
Re:Timeline (Score:1, Funny)
Re:Timeline (Score:1, Funny)
Score 2? Could at least use a 3/Funny. Clearly a very apt Simpsons ref to Jeff Albertson, commonly known as Comic Book Guy's line "Worst. Episode. Ever!" from the episodes "The Itchy & Scratchy & Poochie Show", "Saddlesore Galactica", and "Worst Episode Ever". Kudos!
Tactical Nukes (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Idiots on parade (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Not impossible, but very unlikely (Score:2, Funny)
I walked for an hour in London yesterday and saw absolutely hundreds.
Everywhere I looked there was another Policeman staring at me. To tell you the truth, it began to worry me after a while.
Re:One word: . . . (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Obligatory 1984 Reference (Score:3, Funny)
Eventually, however, the robots reach the point where they are both functional and profitable for the government. Subsequently, Margaret Thatcher will be re-elected, and the robots will be privatized as Robocops, Plc, and will never work again.