Comments on: Neighbor brought a drone to the picnic. https://habitablezone.com/2014/08/12/neighbor-brought-a-drone-to-the-picnic/ Sat, 25 Apr 2026 16:17:27 -0700 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: podrock https://habitablezone.com/2014/08/12/neighbor-brought-a-drone-to-the-picnic/#comment-31496 podrock Thu, 14 Aug 2014 01:40:29 +0000 https://www.habitablezone.com/?p=46641#comment-31496 So weight was no problem. At the end of a trip the back was so loaded with rock samples we had to adjust the headlights so they weren't aimed like highbeams. The screen in the field is an issue, especially in the desert. But soon, very soon, we'll have these drones with stereo cameras, sent through the Oculus Rift goggles, and we'll have to take care our brains don't melt with sensory overload. I'll give it a go. So weight was no problem. At the end of a trip the back was so loaded with rock samples we had to adjust the headlights so they weren’t aimed like highbeams.

The screen in the field is an issue, especially in the desert. But soon, very soon, we’ll have these drones with stereo cameras, sent through the Oculus Rift goggles, and we’ll have to take care our brains don’t melt with sensory overload.

I’ll give it a go.

]]> By: bowser https://habitablezone.com/2014/08/12/neighbor-brought-a-drone-to-the-picnic/#comment-31493 bowser Thu, 14 Aug 2014 01:27:58 +0000 https://www.habitablezone.com/?p=46641#comment-31493 The problems I could see for my purposes centered on the display. I'm not sure how useful a 2-dimensional display on a laptop would show hand and foot holds well enough to be useful. And the weight would be a problem. On the other hand, for day trips and divining the more gross topography they could be invaluable. The problems I could see for my purposes centered on the display. I’m not sure how useful a 2-dimensional display on a laptop would show hand and foot holds well enough to be useful.

And the weight would be a problem.

On the other hand, for day trips and divining the more gross topography they could be invaluable.

]]> By: podrock https://habitablezone.com/2014/08/12/neighbor-brought-a-drone-to-the-picnic/#comment-31490 podrock Thu, 14 Aug 2014 01:06:49 +0000 https://www.habitablezone.com/?p=46641#comment-31490 ...I was doing fieldwork. Scout out a traverse, observe a cliff I couldn't climb, record images to share, or just get a different point of view. Then I imagine it with an IR cam, magnetometer.... Actually, I've thought about getting one of these just for fun. …I was doing fieldwork. Scout out a traverse, observe a cliff I couldn’t climb, record images to share, or just get a different point of view.

Then I imagine it with an IR cam, magnetometer….

Actually, I’ve thought about getting one of these just for fun.

]]> By: bowser https://habitablezone.com/2014/08/12/neighbor-brought-a-drone-to-the-picnic/#comment-31487 bowser Wed, 13 Aug 2014 22:03:24 +0000 https://www.habitablezone.com/?p=46641#comment-31487 There are, aren't there! There are, aren’t there!

]]> By: bowser https://habitablezone.com/2014/08/12/neighbor-brought-a-drone-to-the-picnic/#comment-31486 bowser Wed, 13 Aug 2014 21:40:04 +0000 https://www.habitablezone.com/?p=46641#comment-31486 And the skill level required to operate it was, according to the owner, minimal. A friend of mine had a remote-controlled helicopter about 20 years ago which was about impossible to fly and land. He had a computer simulator for it, and I couldn't fly the darned thing. This one had a controller much like a game box which could control everything, or it could be told where to go and it would. Many of the flight characteristics such as yaw and pitch seemed to be controlled by an onboard computer and sensors. The guy running it would tell it to go up, or over there and it would. The uses are unlimited, but maybe not essential. I sort of regard the thing like email. I didn't know what use it might be when I first heard of it. Anyway, it was a fun toy to watch. And the skill level required to operate it was, according to the owner, minimal.

A friend of mine had a remote-controlled helicopter about 20 years ago which was about impossible to fly and land. He had a computer simulator for it, and I couldn’t fly the darned thing.

This one had a controller much like a game box which could control everything, or it could be told where to go and it would. Many of the flight characteristics such as yaw and pitch seemed to be controlled by an onboard computer and sensors. The guy running it would tell it to go up, or over there and it would.

The uses are unlimited, but maybe not essential. I sort of regard the thing like email. I didn’t know what use it might be when I first heard of it.

Anyway, it was a fun toy to watch.

]]> By: ER https://habitablezone.com/2014/08/12/neighbor-brought-a-drone-to-the-picnic/#comment-31483 ER Wed, 13 Aug 2014 18:17:31 +0000 https://www.habitablezone.com/?p=46641#comment-31483 Or just its payload? There have been radio controlled hobby aircraft around for years, but they were noisy, had a short range, and required great skill on the part of their pilots. But in principle, drones don't really sound like a new technology, just a great improvement over an old one. What scares me about these new, quiet, partially autonomous camera- and GPS-equipped drones is not that they are a threat to our privacy, but that they are potential terrorist weapons. They can be armed with explosives or poisons. Its only a matter of time before we see our first assassination or sabotage by drone. The last thing we should be worried about is them taking nudie pictures of us through a skylight. Or just its payload? There have been radio controlled hobby aircraft around for years, but they were noisy, had a short range, and required great skill on the part of their pilots. But in principle, drones don’t really sound like a new technology, just a great improvement over an old one.

What scares me about these new, quiet, partially autonomous camera- and GPS-equipped drones is not that they are a threat to our privacy, but that they are potential terrorist weapons. They can be armed with explosives or poisons. Its only a matter of time before we see our first assassination or sabotage by drone. The last thing we should be worried about is them taking nudie pictures of us through a skylight.

]]> By: mcfly https://habitablezone.com/2014/08/12/neighbor-brought-a-drone-to-the-picnic/#comment-31482 mcfly Wed, 13 Aug 2014 13:24:37 +0000 https://www.habitablezone.com/?p=46641#comment-31482 From a purely cinematic point of view, they are nothing short of remarkable. But as with any tool, opportunities for abuse abound. From a purely cinematic point of view, they are nothing short of remarkable. But as with any tool, opportunities for abuse abound.

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