Alphabet spins out Taara – Internet over lasers

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."

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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.

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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.

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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.

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