http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/ Engadget Comments for http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/Apr 28th 2010 7:16AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/Apr 28th 2010 7:35AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/of course there would be a skynet joke here ]]>Apr 28th 2010 9:00AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/
Skynet joke? How about a direct quote:

"In three years, Cyberdyne will become the largest supplier of military computer systems. All stealth bombers are upgraded with Cyberdyne computers, becoming fully unmanned. Afterwards, they fly with a perfect operational record. The Skynet Funding Bill is passed. The system goes online on August 4th, 1997. Human decisions are removed from strategic defense. Skynet begins to learn at a geometric rate. It becomes self-aware 2:14 AM, Eastern time, August 29th. In a panic, they try to pull the plug..."]]>Apr 28th 2010 9:40AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/
I just replaced all of the word "Skynet" with "Google"]]>Apr 28th 2010 11:57AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/Apr 28th 2010 1:28PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/Yeah instead the CHOPPER will explain he just didn't like the guys. (completely unrelated: Skynet is british, thought you should know)]]>Apr 28th 2010 1:43PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/Apr 28th 2010 1:54PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/Wait a minute.. "those bots will learn the more deadly behaviours"

..It's not gonna be controlled by real life humanoids on the ground?

I'm a lot more scared now than I was initially. Taking the pilot and putting him in an armchair sounds a great idea.

However letting a bunch of nerds fly heli's from a command prompt is a lot less appealing.]]>Apr 28th 2010 1:57PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/But...August 29th is my birthday...I don't wanna die on my birthday!]]>Apr 29th 2010 11:32AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/Apr 28th 2010 7:22AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/WOPR, if i'm not mistaken.]]>Apr 28th 2010 9:30AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/I just saw your post, after I replied with the same above :)

+1. Some kids sure to accidently take control of the whole fleet.]]>Apr 28th 2010 1:55PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/Apr 28th 2010 7:23AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/Apr 28th 2010 7:23AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/Apr 28th 2010 8:20AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/
]]>Apr 28th 2010 7:24AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/Apr 28th 2010 12:11PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/Apr 28th 2010 7:25AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/Apr 28th 2010 7:32AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/Apr 28th 2010 7:33AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/Apr 28th 2010 7:37AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/Apr 28th 2010 7:34AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/Apr 28th 2010 7:36AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/Apr 28th 2010 7:45AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/Apr 28th 2010 7:52AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/
I thought ONLY hippies read tech blogs...]]>Apr 28th 2010 9:16AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/Apr 28th 2010 11:32AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/Apr 28th 2010 7:37AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/
It not only allows for more dangerous combat missions without placing the pilot at risk, but should allow for smaller lighter aircraft that can perform maneuvers with higher G-forces than most pilots can sustain, and can allow one highly trained pilot to take control of multiple aircraft, with the "idle" aircraft just monitored by some cheaper lackey (just hope they don't start outsourcing that to india heh).]]>Apr 28th 2010 7:59AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/
There will always be some kind of human control and safety available for all the people who think an armed helicopter will go haywire and kill someone by mistake. People do that by themselves.
]]>Apr 28th 2010 8:03AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/How does it cope with trees and RPGs?]]>Apr 28th 2010 8:20AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/
The really cool thing about what Sikorsky is working on is if the pilot was injured, on click of a switch could have the computer fly the helicopter back to base avoiding threats. ]]>Apr 28th 2010 9:06AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/Sounds all nice and dandy, but in said situations, if the vehicle is hit a fe by enemy fire what would be the odds of a computer malfunction?]]>Apr 28th 2010 4:44PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/Apr 28th 2010 8:04AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/
*puts shades on*

transform how wars are fought.]]>Apr 28th 2010 8:14AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/Yeeaaaahhhhhhhhh!!!!]]>Apr 28th 2010 8:20AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/
But then, the helicopter robot probably won't have trouble texting while driving.]]>Apr 28th 2010 8:07AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/Who casually texts, while FLYING in/out of combat zones? You fly a heli, you dont drive it! At least not where people come from]]>Apr 28th 2010 1:53PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/
The Washington Beltway is a combat zone (look at the kill rate), and all the time I see people (apparently) texting while driving on it.]]>Apr 28th 2010 2:57PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/Apr 28th 2010 8:26AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/
Of course, it will lead to a desensitization of your flight crew, since they'll not interact at any level with their enemy save seeing them on a screen. This, I'm sure, is also considered an advantage, since the order to engage won't be questioned. That, and your pilot get to drive to Vegas on the weekend.]]>Apr 28th 2010 8:37AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/Apr 28th 2010 8:57AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/Apr 28th 2010 9:15AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/Haha, That would be epic!]]>Apr 28th 2010 1:56PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/Apr 28th 2010 10:07AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/Hmmm. Seems like a waste of money to design it for an "optional" pilot. They should simply design it as an unmanned vehicle, and be done with it. As technology improves, manned vehicles will go the way of the dodo bird.

Keep in mind that unmanned does not mean pilotless. Keep the pilot in a nice safe location.
]]>Apr 28th 2010 10:17AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/
I'm just saying. ]]>Apr 28th 2010 10:32AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/Apr 28th 2010 10:32AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/the-future-of-us-army-helicopters-pilots-optional/Apr 28th 2010 10:48AM