Non-motoring > first Atlantic crossing	Miscellaneous
Thread Author: sooty123	Replies: 28

New Thu 12 Jul 18 10:19   first Atlantic crossing - sooty123

www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-gloucestershire-44799794/drone-completes-first-ever-atlantic-flight In amongst all the other headlines I saw this on the news. Pretty impressive I think, plus it could have gone on for another 15 hours. Usually stripped down and moved long distances by in a crate. I believe it's build to fly in controlled airspace in Europe as well. 19 more to come over the next couple of years. Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 12 Jul 18 18:07   first Atlantic crossing - Cliff Pope

Presumably that's a real crossing, not touching down on its support vessel and being recharged each night? Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 12 Jul 18 18:17   first Atlantic crossing - No FM2R

>>not touching down on its support vessel and being recharged each night? I find that ridiculous, do they do that? Why do they do it and then claim it as anything? A friend of mine sailed around the world the hard way single-handedly, supposedly non-stop. Much was said about his intrepidness (intrepidity?). Now I'm not saying what he did was easy or trivial, it most certainly wasn't, but he got off the boat more than once and stopped for repairs at one point. Hardly seemed like the point to me. Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 12 Jul 18 18:41   first Atlantic crossing - sooty123

>> Presumably that's a real crossing, not touching down on its support vessel and being recharged >> each night? >> Support vessel? Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 12 Jul 18 18:56   first Atlantic crossing - Old Navy

>> Support vessel? >> Recharge? It's a jet aircraft, the only difference is the pilot is not on board. Last edited by: Old Navy on Thu 12 Jul 18 at 18:59 Reply to this message | Report message

New Fri 13 Jul 18 07:04   first Atlantic crossing - Cliff Pope

I'm sure the whole thing was real, non-stop, unsupported. I'm just observing that some of these similar claimed achievements are not continuous and unbroken. There is a record time for climbing all 3 highest peaks in Britain. I don't think it includes travel time in between. I know someone who claims to be walking round the whole perimeter of Wales. But he hasn't done it continuously, camping along the way. He drives each weekend to the point he last reached, walks, and then gets picked up and taken home. Very long distance swimmers I think come aboard their support vessel at intervals. I'm sure there are other examples. I'm not necessarily denigrating their achievements, just pointing out that some records are not quite what they seem. This drone crossing does clearly come into the genuine category. Reply to this message | Report message

New Fri 13 Jul 18 07:48   first Atlantic crossing - Old Navy

My thoughts were it looks like a military drone stripped of its military kit. Reply to this message | Report message

New Fri 13 Jul 18 08:04   first Atlantic crossing - sooty123

Not unexpected, I don't think it's in service until next year. Reply to this message | Report message

New Fri 13 Jul 18 08:05   first Atlantic crossing - Duncan

What's it for? Reply to this message | Report message

New Fri 13 Jul 18 08:24   first Atlantic crossing - Zero

>> What's it for? www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jun/15/us-led-drone-strike-kills-pakistan-taliban-leader-mullah-fazlullah Reply to this message | Report message

New Fri 13 Jul 18 09:01   first Atlantic crossing - Duncan

>> >> What's it for? >> >> www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jun/15/us-led-drone-strike-kills-pakistan-taliban-leader-mullah-fazlullah >> Do you really think that is wise? Reply to this message | Report message

New Fri 13 Jul 18 09:04   first Atlantic crossing - Zero

Huh? Reply to this message | Report message

New Fri 13 Jul 18 09:11   first Atlantic crossing - Duncan

Killing people. Reply to this message | Report message

New Fri 13 Jul 18 09:18   first Atlantic crossing - Zero

>> Killing people. Depends on who, why, by whom Reply to this message | Report message

New Fri 13 Jul 18 08:28   first Atlantic crossing - sooty123

For crossing the Atlantic... And persistent surveillance along with ability to strike targets. Last edited by: sooty123 on Fri 13 Jul 18 at 08:30 Reply to this message | Report message

New Fri 13 Jul 18 09:16   first Atlantic crossing - Bromptonaut

>> My thoughts were it looks like a military drone stripped of its military kit. That was my conclusion too. There's a long history US commercial aircraft derived from projects funded by the military. Reply to this message | Report message

New Fri 13 Jul 18 10:43   first Atlantic crossing - sooty123

I'm not sure that's the case here, i don't think there's much commercial applications from this, some but not many. Reply to this message | Report message

New Fri 13 Jul 18 10:58   first Atlantic crossing - Zero

>> I'm not sure that's the case here, i don't think there's much commercial applications from >> this, some but not many. Surveying, Mapping maybe. Payload is too low for commercial use, support infrastructure too costly and generally unavailable. There is no commercial system that would allow 100% reliable global command and control, to create one is immensely costly, plus you have various countries air safety boards to worry about The military don't have an ROI to aim for or care about safety rules. Last edited by: Zero on Fri 13 Jul 18 at 11:00 Reply to this message | Report message

New Fri 13 Jul 18 11:09   first Atlantic crossing - sooty123

plus you have various countries air safety boards >> to worry about This is the first one, that I'm aware of, that will fly in controlled airspace in the UK. Small steps and they'll be limitations but even this is a jump forward. Not enough to be commercial interest but in as far as what it was designed for and it's target audience. The military don't have an ROI to aim for I'm not sure what ROI is? or care about >> safety rules. >> That's not really true in the broadbrush stroke fashion, which rules were you thinking of? Reply to this message | Report message

New Fri 13 Jul 18 11:29   first Atlantic crossing - Zero

>> I'm not sure what ROI is? Return on Investment. >> That's not really true in the broadbrush stroke fashion, which rules were you thinking of? Non military ones Reply to this message | Report message

New Fri 13 Jul 18 11:33   first Atlantic crossing - sooty123

That's not really true in the broadbrush stroke fashion, which rules were you thinking >> of? >> >> Non military ones >> Such as? Reply to this message | Report message

New Fri 13 Jul 18 11:37   first Atlantic crossing - Zero

Height, noise, flight corridors, system redundancy, pilot hours regulations, can't be prosecuted...... Reply to this message | Report message

New Fri 13 Jul 18 11:43   first Atlantic crossing - sooty123

The military have and follow rules regarding all those things you've listed. Reply to this message | Report message

New Fri 13 Jul 18 11:52   first Atlantic crossing - Zero

Not the same rules Do you honestly think a commercial company would have been allowed to fly an unmanned drone of that size all that way? And over the UK? No is the answer Last edited by: Zero on Fri 13 Jul 18 at 11:54 Reply to this message | Report message

New Fri 13 Jul 18 11:59   first Atlantic crossing - sooty123

General atomics flew it over, we haven't accepted into service. I'm pretty sure it's still on civilian registration as well. Reply to this message | Report message

New Fri 13 Jul 18 12:16   first Atlantic crossing - commerdriver

>> >> Non military ones >> >> >> >> Such as? >> For example in the series of Toy Stories which James May did a few years ago they were refused air traffic permission to fly a remotely controlled glider across the channel never mind the Atlantic Reply to this message | Report message

New Fri 13 Jul 18 12:24   first Atlantic crossing - sooty123

For example in the series of Toy Stories which James May did a few years >> ago they were refused air traffic permission to fly a remotely controlled glider across the >> channel never mind the Atlantic >> The CAA refused it, probably so. I'm not sure how that links to the military not caring about non military rules? Reply to this message | Report message

New Fri 13 Jul 18 12:27   first Atlantic crossing - Zero

The CAA has no control over what the military do. Reply to this message | Report message

New Fri 13 Jul 18 12:40   first Atlantic crossing - sooty123

No control, not really true. Transiting through civil airspace and a fair few of mil are on the civilian register so by default have to follow those rules. Reply to this message | Report message