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Re:Alphabet spins out Taara – Internet over lasers by HeatrayEnjoyer on Monday March 17, 2025 @06:30PM (#43393402)
I expect drones will become fire-and-forget in two to three years. They won't be jammable because the pilot is in the drone.
Re:Alphabet spins out Taara – Internet over lasers by pclmulqdq on Monday March 17, 2025 @06:54PM (#43393582)
Fire-and-forget drones already exist. They are called missiles.
Re:Alphabet spins out Taara – Internet over lasers by IncreasePosts on Monday March 17, 2025 @07:56PM (#43394116)
Missiles generally go from point A and then blow up point b. Are there any missiles that leave base, fly around for a bit trying to identify targets, and if they can't identify any targets then return home?
Re:Alphabet spins out Taara – Internet over lasers by pclmulqdq on Monday March 17, 2025 @08:05PM (#43394191)
I said that somewhat tongue-in-cheek, but the line between "drone" and "missile" seems to have gotten pretty blurry with the Ukraine war featuring FPV drones holding a hand grenade that are effectively a human-piloted missile.

Some modern missiles can fly around to identify targets, but they can't return home. They can blow up harmlessly if nothing is a target, though. They can also dodge and weave the way FPV pilots do.

Obviously, "drone" has a much more expansive mission profile than "missile."

Re:Alphabet spins out Taara – Internet over lasers by gloosx on Tuesday March 18, 2025 @01:56AM (#43396165)
Missle is a projectile, propelled by rocket motor. Drone is an aircraft vehicle, capable of transporting explosives or whatever. There is a fat line between drone and a missile, there are different in everything: control, speed, trajectory, weight, flying principles. I don't know how you can say they are even close. Just because both fly and do boom? Then you can say there is a thin line between cow launched from catapult and a missile.
Re:Alphabet spins out Taara – Internet over lasers by robin_reala on Tuesday March 18, 2025 @05:16AM (#43397184)
Cruise missiles are missiles without rockets.
Re:Alphabet spins out Taara – Internet over lasers by inkcapmushroom on Tuesday March 18, 2025 @10:06AM (#43399554)
A cow launched from a catapult is indeed a missile, if we want to be pedantic.
Re:Alphabet spins out Taara – Internet over lasers by timerol on Tuesday March 18, 2025 @10:04AM (#43399535)
The term you're looking for is loitering munitions. From Wikipedia: "Some loitering munitions may return and be recovered by the operator if they are unused in an attack and have enough fuel"
Re:Alphabet spins out Taara – Internet over lasers by stirfish on Monday March 17, 2025 @10:04PM (#43395013)
You are describing cruise missiles