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longship

(40,416 posts)
5. Looks like another drone is doing good.
Mon Feb 11, 2013, 04:46 PM
Feb 2013

Just like this one:



Both without weapons, one in the OP helps finding a murderer; the other finding habitats for life on another planet.

Both good uses of a technology which is within the grasp of even high school students.

That said, there are ethical issues to the use of these technologies. And since the technologies are not going to go away -- what are we? Luddites? -- the most realistic and responsible position might be to accept the fact that pilotless vehicles are a fact.

Don't like them? Tell that to the Mars Curiosity Rover team and see how far you get. Tell that to the Google team which has licensed autonomous driverless cars driving the roadways of Nevada and California.

One can play the Luddite card if one wishes. But it won't win this hand.

The responsible response is to recognize that these technologies have good, bad and neutral uses. Maybe the most realistic response is to deal with those uses considered unethical and leave those which are benevolent and neutral alone. There may be some grey areas.

But the drone called the Mars Space Laboratory Sky Crane is at worst, neutral.

Don't be a drone Luddite. Please!

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