back to article Robots to engage in mid-air couplings

Flying robots are now able to do many tasks which formerly required assistance from a human pilot. They can land, take off, copy aerobatic manoeuvres and dock a manned jet to another one for air-to-air refuelling - hands off. Now there are plans to take the latter capability to the next level. Unlike previous pilotware …

COMMENTS

This topic is closed for new posts.
  1. Anonymous Coward
    Alert

    2nd annual T.L.A.R.D. - 10/10/08 - 10:10:10am - 10:10:10pm

    Enjoy (T)alk (L)ike (A) (R)obot (D)ay = T.L.A.R.D.

    2nd annual T.L.A.R.D. - 10/10/08 - 10:10:10am - 10:10:10pm

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fa7mDkmWvyw

  2. Steven Hunter
    Thumb Up

    Oh yeah...

    "...two uninhabited aircraft will now mate with one another in flight."

    Surely that's "uninhibited", yes?

    I, for one, welcome our new flying sex-droid overlords.

  3. Nick
    Paris Hilton

    I for one...

    I for one welcome our autonomous flying probulating overlords.

    Paris, because I bet she'd like an automated probe.

  4. Anonymous Coward
    Unhappy

    Hum

    >They will steer themselves in on final approach by tracking a glowing infrared ring on the offered receptacle

    And so will the missile with the IR tracking head?

  5. NukEvil
    Paris Hilton

    ROTM??

    Surely giving machines--with the capability of killing people--the ability to procreate is yet another step closer to Armageddon...

    Paris because...well...you know...

  6. Master Baker
    Thumb Up

    Another coupling solution

    Velcro-tipped condoms for coupling a drunk with a fat bird.

    We've all done it.

    Right, where's me pint...

  7. Anonymous Coward
    Pirate

    One step closer ...

    ... to completely automating most "dumb operator" actions in the military, even the ones that require "skill". Computers and robots can do it faster and better - as long as all necessary sensor data can be quickly captured, decisions can be coded in a lookup table or desribed by an algorithm, and there is a basic stimulus-response relationship.

    Hmmm. So, I wonder how long it will be before Navy Warfare Officers are relaced by computers, then ....

  8. TeeCee Gold badge
    Coat

    Dietary change.

    Hmm, if there are six-foot robots flying around programmed to shove probes into hot rings, I think I'll lay off the curry for a while.

  9. Chris Bradshaw
    Paris Hilton

    What? No foreplay?

    Pretty humdrum, if you ask me. Just pop it in, pump quickly, disengage, and fly off. What is the world coming to?

    Paris because, well, you can probably guess...

  10. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    VIdeo.

    Watch that one folks, it's truly superb.

  11. Clive Galway
    Alert

    The concept video

    Did anyone else notice that the "tanker" in the concept video looked identical to the docking vehicle apart from the fact it had no obvious means of propulsion. Possibly because that craft has a rear prop, and they didn't want to draw attention to the fact that they were planning on trying to stick a fuel nozzle into a basket mere inches from a whirling prop.

    Sounds like fun :)

  12. Elmer Phud
    Go

    Kiddie Porn?

    Robots coupling in mid-air? Is this the new Transformers film? Will there be a Playmobile diorama of them shagging over a New York skyline while Maximus Prime rages and destroys all before him 'cos some one has nicked his bird?

    Waiting for a suitable Twat-O-Tron '"I'm burning all my son's Transformer toys to stop him re-enacting the scene." comment. (yeah, but at least it's not this cross-species sex like in Barbarella)

  13. Anonymous Coward
    Stop

    One last step...

    Now all we need them to do is teach them to extract and refine the oil without our help and they won't need us any more! (well, until they break down)

  14. Dale

    Endurance will be limited only by maintenance requirements...

    ...until they install the R2 unit.

  15. ian
    Paris Hilton

    Automation- aint it grand

    So they've automated willy-waving then?

    Paris, automatically.

  16. Secretgeek
    Heart

    What if they fit this to other planes?

    If you're looking for an analogy, it'll be the aerial equivalent of a St Bernard (the tanker) trying to be shagged by a particularly vicious terrier (the fighter/weapon), in a bob-sleigh.

    Isn't true (robotic) love great?

  17. Anonymous Coward
    Joke

    if they didn't use IR

    Maybe they could call it Radar Love?

This topic is closed for new posts.

Other stories you might like