Boeing denote this hebdomad that it has successfully develop a newcompact optical maser weapon system . And catch your back drones – because this one has been made with you in mind .
This summer has seen an plosion in the number of incident where drones have step in with emergency bunch doing their problem . Most notably , drone hobbyists have been hindering firefighting efforts in California byjerks flying their quadcopterstoo close to the flame .
optical maser weapons have been used by US power in both Afghanistan and Iraq , primarily for detonating IEDs from a safe space . But those optical maser weapons are mounted on big trucks , while this young system is compact enough to be transported more well .
Wired describedBoeing ’s demonstrationof the Modern system in New Mexico this week :
In the demo , Boeing used the laser to burn holes in a stationary , composite UAV shell , to show how quickly it can compromise an aircraft . Two seconds at full power and the mark was aroused . Other than numerous safety warnings to ensure no one was blind by the two - kilowatt infrared laser , there was no flourish . No explosion , no seeable beam . It ’s more like burn down ants with a really , really expensive magnify meth than obliterating Alderaan .
One of the solicitation of laser weapons systems is their relative low monetary value . Once the system is built , all you ’re paying for is the electricity to run it . And with a world of omnipresent drones ( military or otherwise ) just around the corner , being able to deploy bourdon - wipe out tech on the cheap is vital .
“ This represent a dispirited - monetary value means to deal with the threat , ” David DeYoung , the director of Boeing Laser & Electro - Optical Systems told Wired . There are presently no plan to utilize the weapon on US dirt , and it ’s still a couple of twelvemonth from realise the battlefield . But if there ’s anything we can count on seeing more of in the next decade it ’s lagger and lasers . And they ’ll likely not be the best of friends .
[ telegraph ]
Drones
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