http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/ Engadget Comments for Boeing Phantom Eye unmanned spy plane stays aloft four days, sort of bums us out 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/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/Jul 13th 2010 1:25PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/
Looks like a big penis.]]>Jul 13th 2010 1:43PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/
With wings]]>Jul 13th 2010 1:44PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/
Wow, the byproduct is just water.

"Human extermination done right, mother nature-approved"]]>Jul 13th 2010 1:48PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/
I like the tone of this article. Sad but true.]]>Jul 13th 2010 1:51PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/
One thing I notice though, although this post has nothing to do with Apple, you all got Apple on your names.

This makes me hungry.]]>Jul 13th 2010 1:53PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/
I thought I was reading the Daily Kos when I came across this article. Since when do people come to Engadget to get a writer's political view?

Look, we get it. You don't like bombs. You don't like guns. We should all live in a world filled with rainbows and pretty flowers. What a waste.

Getting back to the tech blog - you do understand that a good many of our current gadgets started out as items designed for use by the military. Without the military many daily use items would never have gotten off the ground. You need deep pockets for RND. You need grand vision to break molds.

The technology used in this plane could easily trickle down and impact consumers as a commercial product. If more systems can built that improve airline safety isn't that a good thing? Isn't making advancements in hydrogen propulsion better for everyone?]]>Jul 13th 2010 1:59PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/
Fucking Human sympathizers! ]]>Jul 13th 2010 2:40PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/Jul 13th 2010 3:02PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/
I say we declare a War against trolling on Engadget!

Whose with me!]]>Jul 13th 2010 3:18PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/Jul 13th 2010 4:16PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/
http://www.marchsports.co.uk/cart/images/uploads/vortex%20howler.jpg

Nerf ball with wings!
]]>Jul 13th 2010 4:44PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/
Someone please correct me if I'm wrong, but is not oil still our main economical source of hydrogen? Therefore, little gained in terms of green ethics?]]>Jul 13th 2010 5:12PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/I don't know what the main current source is, but you can generate hydrogen from any source of electricity. Which means, yay, largely coal. So yes, at present there is likely to be no environmental benefit.

This is a complex calculation because you need to consider the combined efficiency of fossil fuel to (power plant to electricity transmission to) hydrogen to hydrogen transport to fuel cell to electric motor, vs. fossil fuel transport to combustion/jet engine.

In terms of global warming, CO2 emissions from planes actually do more damage because they're emitted high in the sky, which is where we don't want it. So there could be a benefit in moving emissions to ground level.

Also, hydrogen has higher energy density than other fuels which might mean the plane is lighter and therefore more efficient, etc.

And in theory, the military could build huge fields full of solar panels (PV or concentrating reflectors) capable of generating the megawatts of power you'd need to produce enough hydrogen to power this thing. Then a hydrogen-powered plane would be almost completely environmentally friendly (construction costs aside).

So basically you'd have to do a complete energy audit to find out which is more efficient. Given that this is for the military, I don't imagine environmental benefits were top of their list, so it probably uses hydrogen for other reasons and isn't particularly 'green'.

In the future, well, the best way to reduce the environmental impact of plane travel is to travel less. But if we ever did try to reduce aircraft emissions by moving to electrical power, hydrogen produced from renewable electricity would be an extremely good way to do it. (Energy density in batteries is terrible compared to normal fuel, let alone hydrogen - and in planes, weight REALLY matters.)]]>Jul 13th 2010 7:58PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/Jul 13th 2010 9:10PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/Jul 13th 2010 1:26PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/
sortof. it legitimately leaked fuel before takeoff and at low speeds, but it actually got more efficient the faster it went! and it went fucking fast, so while it ate fuel quickly, the mileage might not have been that bad.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_SR-71_Blackbird]]>Jul 13th 2010 2:38PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/
Just because it lost (not used, LOST) 2/3 of its fuel on takeoff doesn't make it fuel inefficient.

Wait....]]>Jul 13th 2010 2:40PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/
Good thing the military is mostly interested in completing missions the best way they can, and not so much in how "sexy" the airplane is.

Who cares how fast the airplane can go if all you have to do is loiter over an area surveilling for an extended period? The SR-71 sure as hell couldn't stay up for 4 days.

Yes, this thing looks like one of those tailed Nerf footballs, with an extra wing, but as long as it can do its job who cares.]]>Jul 13th 2010 2:47PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/not saying this new Boeing UAV is crap but speed matters in cases such as the Blackbird when you are looking at SAMs and interceptor aircraft. Higher, Faster, Farther was the mantra the SR-71 design. Sure it didn't have the endurance but it did have range. And it flew too fast and too high to be shot down by interceptor missiles and aircraft (still holds record for fastest manned air-breathing aircraft).]]>Jul 13th 2010 3:11PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/Jul 13th 2010 3:22PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/i'm well aware. I was just providing an answer to "who cares how fast the airplane can go". and this thing is NOT a spy plane, its surveillance, theres a difference. you can't park this thing over Iran or DPRK and expect them not to notice. also (nit-picky) the Soviets new how to kill birds but they didn't have the capability to shoot down a sr-71, too fast (zero lost to enemy fire)]]>Jul 13th 2010 3:33PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/Jul 13th 2010 1:29PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/
This plane has "great fuel economy, and whose only byproduct is water". Wonder if that could be at all handy in other industries?!

Secondly, spying on other countries at least keeps them honest (in theory), and it means you can nip a potential flare point in the bud. ]]>Jul 13th 2010 1:31PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/Jul 13th 2010 1:47PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/Aliens]]>Jul 13th 2010 1:52PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/Jul 13th 2010 2:44PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/
Friendly reminder: the hydrogen that is burnt to product energy and water *up there* is normally made by cracking hydrocarbons to give hydrogen and carbon dioxide and misc. crap. *down here*

]]>Jul 13th 2010 8:04PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/Jul 13th 2010 1:33PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/Who do you think NERF went to for that design? Aerospace. We see the kids toys before we see the adult toys.]]>Jul 13th 2010 1:45PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/Jul 13th 2010 2:24PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/Jul 13th 2010 2:41PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/http://www.thestealthblimp.com/

The only reason this platform is getting press, is the air force is afraid more stealth blimps will eat into their satellite budget:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojGcX2H81NQ
watch the whole thing for the juicy details....
]]>Jul 13th 2010 1:34PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/One chick with a staticy sweater, then boom! Awww the hummmmanity!]]>Jul 13th 2010 1:47PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/Jul 13th 2010 2:25PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/It's a line from a show called Archer. Check it out, its funny. Great Voice actor line up.]]>Jul 13th 2010 6:43PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/Jul 14th 2010 11:36AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/Jul 13th 2010 1:34PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/
Great, if need be it can kamikaze and blow sh!t up.]]>Jul 13th 2010 1:37PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/
a.) What does the oil disaster have to do with this? As I understood it, today they are doing testing, but have a cap in place that could actually contain 100% of the oil leak until a relief well is completed in August.

b.) I maybe should read the message, but should we differentiate between spying and fighting? Maybe this is just a branding thing, but I got the impression that this was used for surveillance and not for actually killing, per se. Granted surveillance may lead to killing, but it need not be quite as insidious as you seem to imply.

]]>Jul 13th 2010 1:38PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/Ah. "450 lb payload" could possibly be a problem...]]>Jul 13th 2010 1:39PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/I wholeheartedly agree with points A and B. I disagree with your first point only in that constantly innovating in matters of defense (war) can nations deter hostile action with the threat of force alone, without actually firing a shot. That being said, the Pentagon is in serious need of some budget cuts. ]]>Jul 13th 2010 1:44PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/War, and sex, the real driving forces behind modern innovation.
I challenge anyone to refute this.]]>Jul 13th 2010 1:49PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/Jul 13th 2010 2:26PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/Jul 13th 2010 2:27PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/Jul 13th 2010 1:39PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/Jul 13th 2010 1:42PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/
Wow, Ford finally did find a use for all those old Pinto blocks. :P]]>Jul 13th 2010 1:42PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/Jul 13th 2010 1:43PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/boeing-phantom-eye-unmanned-spy-plane-stays-aloft-four-days-sor/Google.]]>Jul 13th 2010 1:50PM