Drones Threatened Nuclear Facilities

[JROK]

"Drone aircraft recently carried out unauthorized intrusions over Air Force and Navy nuclear facilities, and the incidents pose a growing threat, the commander of the U.S. Strategic Command disclosed to Congress Wednesday."

Interesting info:

Inside the Ring: Drones threatened nuclear facilities

 

[MavicKhan]

You Americans really have to get hold of this or we are all going to pay.

...I say "You Americans" because you're probably the only ones able to do the following, swiftly and severely:

1. Shoot a drone overflying such facilities (...or an airport, any other highly sensitive area or endangering Aviation).
2. Identify the drone owner.
3. Put him or her behind bars for 20 years.
4. Make heavy public notice of the previous 3.

If this is not done quickly, hysteria will fester over there and, as usual in our day and age, propagate to rest of the Western world ending with a zero-tolerance ban our beloved hobby.

FK

 

[cgenius]

Maybe this could be a good thing.
"Sorry, we couldn't launch our nuclear missile and kill millions of people because a DJI Mavic Pro was flying in the vicinity."

 

[enigmamdw]

Or just shoot the hysterical morons....and keep flying the drone.

 

[Robbyg]

What could a consumer drone possibly do to a nuclear base? Everything is underground.

 

[larkin]

When the drone is outlawed only outlaws (spies) will own drones. I hope Discovery or BBC does a special on anti-drone warfare.

 

[theecrewchief]

Hell just looking at the forums here only half the people if that follow the rules anyways and argue the few minor regulations we have. Of course anyone with ill intent isn't going to follow any rules. Just like gun control. Gun control isn't the problem, most people are responsible gun owners. Punish criminals more severely with penalties.

 

[allen deckard]

What could a consumer drone possibly do to a nuclear base? Everything is underground.

No not much of any threat but every 4 star general has to justify there existence.

With that said no a large percentage of nuclear bases are able ground.

B52 b1 b2 bases come to mind right off the top of my head.

 

[AnzacJack]

Nuclear facilities are designed to survive the impact of an aircraft deliberately crashing into them

 

[allen deckard]

Not that it matters but the types of nuclear facilities your thinking of and the general is talking about are not the same thing.

I worked for years on a nuclear bomber base. The alert pad with well over 300 air launch cruise missiles along with fuel and 30 bombers sat no more than 100 yards from a civilian road.

The base at the time was build to stop people, trucks, tanks, airplanes, and other things around at the time.

What they weren't built to stop is a 2 lb drone capable of self guidance flying 2 ft off the ground or 2 miles in the air targeting a pinpoint spot.

All that with a purchase of 1200 bucks and 10 min of training and zero risk to the user.

I say the above not to in any way think drones should be banned or limited to users. The genie is out of the lamp and there is no putting it back.

What I believe or at least hope the general is talking about is the fact that the times they be changing and the military best **** well be keeping up cause defending from a drone could be as easy as stretching a net over the pad but doing nothing is just stupid.

 

[tcope]

Here is the headline of the story:
"Drones threatened nuclear facilities"

Here is a quote from the story:
"Drone aircraft recently carried out unauthorized intrusions over Air Force and Navy nuclear facilities..."

Here is another quote:
"There have been no news reports of drones making flights over nuclear facilities."

So, according to this article... drones flew "unauthorized intrusions over... nuclear facilities" but also have not flown over nuclear facilities. Odd.

I think the government does need to look at address these types of issues. However, I doubt a small UAV should pose much of a threat to a nuclear facility. It's not like it can carry enough explosives to do much damage. I do think UAV's could pose a much bigger issue several years in the future.

 

[AnzacJack]

I agree with all you say. I also spent 20 years in the RAAF and still live within mavic range of Australias Super Hornet and JSF fleet

 

[Kate]

You Americans really have to get hold of this or we are all going to pay.

...I say "You Americans" because you're probably the only ones able to do the following, swiftly and severely:

1. Shoot a drone overflying such facilities (...or an airport, any other highly sensitive area or endangering Aviation).
2. Identify the drone owner.
3. Put him or her behind bars for 20 years.
4. Make heavy public notice of the previous 3.

If this is not done quickly, hysteria will fester over there and, as usual in our day and age, propagate to rest of the Western world ending with a zero-tolerance ban our beloved hobby.

FK

You overestimate Americans.

And once again, the only people getting hysterical about the "drone news"
is the "drone police" intent on separating themselves from the 'bad eggs'.
Divide and Conquer

also you would put a fellow pilot in jail for 20 years, bcuz he is possibly young and dumb?
In wartime, its people like you who collaborate with the invading army.

 

[Kate]

I agree with all you say. I also spent 20 years in the RAAF and still live within mavic range of Australias Super Hornet and JSF fleet

Australia has a JSF "fleet"?
No offense, but I hope you dont get invaded.
F18E is as good, has better ordinace capabilities, and most important is cheaper.
Why have a showpony squadron when you can have a stallion wing
even the pilots dont want it in a real combat situation

Aussies will like this
The F-35: A Weapon That Costs More Than Australia

 

[rcjunk77]

Interesting thread. In the U.S., the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has authority over the airspace, including drones. I'm sure most everyone here knows, but drones have to be registered and there can be severe penalties for not doing so. My understanding is that typically, people are not punished for first offenses if they claim they were unaware or hadn't gotten around to it yet, but they can be punished if the circumstances are egregious. I would guess that flying over restricted military areas would constitute an egregious act. However, for civilian nuclear facilities (i.e. power plants), the security force does not actually have the authority to shoot down a drone, as it is illegal to do so under federal law.

 

[MavicKhan]

You overestimate Americans.

And once again, the only people getting hysterical about the "drone news"
is the "drone police" intent on separating themselves from the 'bad eggs'.
Divide and Conquer

also you would put a fellow pilot in jail for 20 years, bcuz he is possibly young and dumb?
In wartime, its people like you who collaborate with the invading army.

Kate,

I am an airline captain. Just a couple of months ago Lisbon airport came close to be fully halted because some idiot decided that he/she should fly there.

There's no "young or dumb" in these cases. Severe, deliberate and egregious breaking of the law requires application of the maximum penalties of the very same law, otherwise, I say again, we all may be facing a complete ban.

Flying over a nuclear plant is so wrong, in so many ways, that I am baffled that you would evoke fuzzy concepts like "drone police" to comment on a comment about it.

As for the "war"+"collaboration"+"invading army" rant, I haven't a single clue what that might be about but that's probably because the ejection I had execute from a fighter jet in my late 20's hampered part of my processing abilities.

MK

 

[Kate]

Kate,

I am an airline captain. Just a couple of months ago Lisbon airport came close to be fully halted because some idiot decided that he/she should fly there.

There's no "young or dumb" in these cases. Severe, deliberate and egregious breaking of the law requires application of the maximum penalties of the very same law, otherwise, I say again, we all may be facing a complete ban.

Flying over a nuclear plant is so wrong, in so many ways, that I am baffled that you would evoke fuzzy concepts like "drone police" to comment on a comment about it.

As for the "war"+"collaboration"+"invading army" rant, I haven't a single clue what that might be about but that's probably because the ejection I had execute from a fighter jet in my late 20's hampered part of my processing abilities.

MK

"drone police" are people on forums who that hate on their fellow pilots, because they have chosen to
fly their drones in a manner different to them.
Im not saying it's smart to fly a drone over a nuclear facility, but did you stop to think maybe he got lost.
Maybe he was a 5th grader? It's not even the point.

The salient point is, the news own you guys with these scare articles.
You are the people trending/tweeting, commenting on them, etc and all you do is panic about drones getting banned, and talk how much safer you fly than the others. It's nauseating.

Drone flyers will get divided because of it, and that's when laws will be enacted.
You will fulfill your own self prophecy all because of bloody scaremongering articles like this.
What exactly did you think the drone would do at the Nuclear facility? Fly in and lift the control rods
Ugh you'll think of something, you guys always do.

nuff im out

 

[MavicKhan]

"drone police" are people on forums who that hate on their fellow pilots, because they have chosen to
fly their drones in a manner different to them.
Im not saying it's smart to fly a drone over a nuclear facility, but did you stop to think maybe he got lost.
Maybe he was a 5th grader? It's not even the point.

The salient point is, the news own you guys with these scare articles.
You are the people trending/tweeting, commenting on them, etc and all you do is panic about drones getting banned, and talk how much safer you fly than the others. It's nauseating.

Drone flyers will get divided because of it, and that's when laws will be enacted.
You will fulfill your own self prophecy all because of bloody scaremongering articles like this.
What exactly did you think the drone would do at the Nuclear facility? Fly in and lift the control rods
Ugh you'll think of something, you guys always do.

nuff im out

Kate,

Your absolutely and positively out of line.

See things as you may find fit.

Earlier on you stated I "overestimated Americans". There's no "overestimation" or "underestimation".

I've flown in the US and know how the FAA and judicial system operate.

Due to the sheer size and scope of aviation in your country (...now almost infinitely augmented by this new, extremely popular vector...) don't' expect them to act as a baby sitter. People can do what they very well fancy.

Be, however, sure of one thing: If a serious mishap happens evolving significant property damage, or injury/fatalities in human beings, the operator will be in such a deep ocean of brown matter, he/she will wish they never heard the word "drone".

Be well and fly safe (...if that is possible for someone having to have others tell them what is wrong about flying over a nuclear facility...).

MK

 

[Kate]

Did you just threaten me on a public Forum?

 

[MavicKhan]

No.

...but I am starting to see how limited comprehension, coupled with a curios grasp on reality might make you see threats without realizing you're the threat for yourself.

For better elucidation of other users, here's the PM I just received from Kate: