Welcome to the World, Drone-Killing Laser Cannon
Hang on to your drone. Boeings developed a laser cannon specifically designed to turn unmanned aircraft into flaming wreckage.
The aerospace companys new weapon system, which it publicly tested this week in a New Mexico industrial park, isnt quite as cool as what you see in Star Warstheres no flying beams of light, no pew! pew! sound effects. But it is nonetheless a working laser cannon, and it will take your drone down.
People keep flying their drones where they shouldnt. In airport flight paths. Above wildfires. Onto the White House lawn. Luckily, there havent been any really bad incidentsthat is, no one has been killed by a civilian quadcopter or plane, yet.
But governments and militaries around the world are terrified by the prospect of drones carrying explosives or chemical weapons (and now, pornography) into places where they shouldnt.
There are lots of theories on the best way to deal with the drone threat. An Idaho company has developed special anti-drone shotgun shells. Some agencies are working on jamming technology to block communication from the operator to the aircraft. Firefighters in New York kept it simple, aiming their hose at a pesky drone hovering near a house fire.
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http://www.wired.com/2015/08/welcome-world-drone-killing-laser-cannon/