Unmanned surveillance blimp breaks tether, floats over Pennsylvania

Re:Unmanned surveillance blimp breaks tether, floats over Pe... by Alupis on Wednesday October 28, 2015 @04:01PM (#10466946)

It is suspicious circumstances to say the least.

Every image of these JLENS blimps show them anchored with a great many anchor ties, not just one (or a few). However, every report says it just "came loose" or "escaped it's tethering".

Conspiracy theory would probably speculate on some new tech being demoed or tested over Baltimore. These things are supposed to be for detecting missiles and high altitude planes, which would beg the question what one was doing blown up and ready to fly in Baltimore.

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Re:Unmanned surveillance blimp breaks tether, floats over Pe... by joezydeco on Wednesday October 28, 2015 @05:24PM (#10467546)

If it was meant as a covert demo then the finale where the blimp descended, hit a power line with its tether, then killed the power for 20,000 homes was probably a hell of a cover.

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Re:Unmanned surveillance blimp breaks tether, floats over Pe... by jonnybgood on Wednesday October 28, 2015 @04:10PM (#10467027)

>Conspiracy theory would probably speculate on some new tech being demoed or tested over Baltimore.

It says it right in the article:

"It's currently on a three-year test run to see if it can help detect cruise missiles or enemy aircraft from 10,000 feet above ground."

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Re:Unmanned surveillance blimp breaks tether, floats over Pe... by Alupis on Wednesday October 28, 2015 @04:13PM (#10467053)

> It says it right in the article

No, the article says the JLENS program is on a three-year test run to see if it can help detect cruise missiles or enemy aircraft from 10,000 feet above ground.

That three years is up this year (started program in 2012)... so perhaps they will be decommissioned, or re-purposed.

My statement was more along the conspiracy theory line of domestic surveillance tech being tested.

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Re:Unmanned surveillance blimp breaks tether, floats over Pe... by maxerickson on Wednesday October 28, 2015 @04:14PM (#10467059)

Strong winds broke the tether. When it is at altitude, there is ~1 tether.

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Re:Unmanned surveillance blimp breaks tether, floats over Pe... by Alupis on Wednesday October 28, 2015 @04:19PM (#10467097)

Ah - the article didn't mention that. Seems like a design flaw really... the single tether.

Furthermore, why is it shaped like a blimp with an obvious front-side, when it's designed to be stationary (wouldn't a simple balloon work?)

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Re:Unmanned surveillance blimp breaks tether, floats over Pe... by motoboi on Wednesday October 28, 2015 @04:31PM (#10467183)

Balloons are made to be carried away by wind. If you want to keep something stationary in the air, better find a aerodynamic shape. One that can keeps its orientation in the air is better yet.

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Re:Unmanned surveillance blimp breaks tether, floats over Pe... by Natanael_L on Wednesday October 28, 2015 @05:10PM (#10467437)

Fixed orientation is beneficial for the sensors and signal processing too. Less readjustments to make.

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Re:Unmanned surveillance blimp breaks tether, floats over Pe... by maxerickson on Wednesday October 28, 2015 @04:22PM (#10467117)

Well, the weight of the tethering matters. So they probably can't just have 2 of the strength of the one that broke.

I believe it has a front side because then it can point into the wind, making it easer to stay stationary for the given volume (and hence lift capacity).

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Re:Unmanned surveillance blimp breaks tether, floats over Pe... by randlet on Wednesday October 28, 2015 @04:32PM (#10467193)

Stationary relative to the ground but not the air.

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