TailTouch

My Feedback: (54)

Al-Qaeda has developed a deadly drone equipped for spying using a sophisticated wide angle lens.

Scroll down for picture !!!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4244646.stm

F'ing hillarious

MustangFan

Looks pretty sophisticated to me ... saw one at my LHS a while back.

cwrr5

My Feedback: (32)

I don't see that as funny at all.

Think about what they're supposedly using it for. How can anything that helps them kill people(like me) over here be even remotely considered funny?

I urge you to re-consider your words. Even better yet, come on over and see first hand how funny it is.

Kmot

My Feedback: (24)

Afghani's used r/c planes loaded with explosives to fly into Russian helicopters during the Afghan-Russian conflict.

An electric miniature aircraft with a transmitting camera is "sophisticated" to people who live in caves and use the transmitting capabilities to kill their enemies (Westerners).

There is nothing "f'ing hilarious" about this.......

TailTouch

My Feedback: (54)

C'mon guys...lighten up.
Don't mean to be offensive or anything like that.

It's an aerobird or something like that. How big or a sophisticated camera can it carry. It barely flies on it's own.

I only hope that the rest of the weapons these morons use are as stupid and uneffective as this one.

MustangFan

I agree ... lighten up a bit !

With a range of a mile (if it's lucky) ... it won't do much spying.

It was odd to see a picture of men sitting around discussing a small electric plane (Toy ... as in hobby) with a caption of anything related to sophisticated or deadly in military terms.

e-sailpilot86

If anything, I think it was better suited to entertain the bored Al-Qaeda troops when they've got nothing to do. I'm having doubts it was that sophisitcated. Sounds like media hype to me. They'd know that binoculars or a telescope are more practical than a firebird.

jester125

That looked like something out of the Onion.

scottrc

Take a chill guys What I found funny was how dramatic the press was making it to sound. That they found some super secret weapon of mass destruction when it does look quite comical to see that bright yellow Tweaty Bird park flyer amongst all those high power weapons. What I do not find funny is that it further disrupts our image from the presses' spin.

How many people has Al Qaeda killed using a personal computer and the internet? Yet the press doesn't make a big hoopla about confiscated computers.

Scott

jettstarblue

That's just a lot of media hype....they had to find SOME weapons of mass destruction. I don't think this qualifies as any kind of threat. Probably a bunch of Iraqui R/C buffs sitting around hangar flying and some "reporter" got a hold of the picture.

"I got a scoop! I gotta scoop!"

blikseme300

My Feedback: (118)

ROFLMAO

love those warbirds

My Feedback: (39)

Well this is just another example that Al Qaeda is getting desperate. At least paint it with some camo...Opps don't want to give away tips!

zxcv11

I'm still trying to get my head around some tough afghan rebel kicking around with a lil' yellow bird.
[sm=surprised.gif]
Suppose they fight for the xmitter?

Scar

My Feedback: (3)

Yah, with that stern look on his face....

Ha!

khodges

My Feedback: (1)

Yeah, it might seem hilarious that the enemy is using what to us is an everyday toy and considering it a high-tech weapon. It might seem hilarious that the press is hyping this as a WMD. But all it has to do is get high enough to see over the wall a hundred feet away, where our guys are getting ready to cream Al-Queda, and ruin those plans and put our guys at risk. It don't have to fly at 90,000 feet or see for 50 miles to be very effective. All it has to do is give the enemy a vantage point they didn't have last week, or yesterday. I totally agree with cwrr5 and Kmot. We take this technology for granted a lot of times, we live with it every day; the third world sees this stuff as another opportunity and will use it as such.

e-sailpilot86

Sorry, I still disagree. They used a generic day-time wide angle lens camera, it's just an injection molded piece of plastic. Long focal lengths are useful for spying. Let me put it this way; you want to spy on your enemy over a hill. You wear camo to peek over the edge, and they're far away. You have your team next to you as immediate backup if you get fired upon. And you're telling me, a speed 300-400 powered model, dayglow yellow, making a buzzing noise is going to be of tactical advantage during the day when no shots are being fired? They'll know you're there right away! Also, if you're in combat, who in their right mind would decide to launch a tiny drone to see them, instead of breaking out an AK-47 to work the offense or defense? They probably tried it, it didn't work well, and they just used it for fun. Besides, look at it in the photo. It shows no signs of repair or damage, meaning it probably was of little use for them.

My .04 cents

Cyclic Hardover

My Feedback: (3)

I recall many threads here in the past which claim to be from that general area asking some interesting questions and many mambers here just jumping right in with answers! For all I know, If they do come up with something, they probably got it from right here.

Deadeye

Took the words right out of my mouth! I can just see it, "Derka derka! I don't have it!" LMAO! They will have to put a Jihad on the LHS.

tIANci

There must be some Chinese Al-Queda conspiracy here (don't flame me ok, I am Chinese)!!! Imagine what will happen when they get hold of 4,000 Mah 3S batteries, man those spy planes will be up all night spying! Again, if they got their hands on a mini Funtana then they can prop hang and get really accurate pics!!! hahahahaha ...

Kmot

My Feedback: (24)

I agree it seems comical to us. But I also think a little more about it in the abstract.

We are fighting in an "urban" war in some areas of Afgahnistan. Everyday citizens go about their business as usual during the day, children still play outside. Seeing an electric cheapo airplane flying around would not raise an eyebrow, right?

Now that same plane "can" be used to see over that wall. In fact, that is exactly the type of micro airplane being developed for our own troops to carry in a backpack. So it can be hand launched and used to "look around the corner" and send real time video back so as not to put the troops in direct harm. A $100 "cheap toy" to us is an expensive tool to a people who might make $100 a year, if that much!

I have a sense of humor alright. And usually I am the one making wry comments on here. But the cavalier attitude exhibited by some toward this just rubbed me the wrong way. Because it can be used exactly as described in guerrilla warfare. And the result means injury and death to our sons and daughters; our brothers and sisters; our wives and husbands; our fathers and mothers.

Okay, I'm done. Sorry to be so "heavy"....

EXTRA ADDICT

My Feedback: (2)

You have got to be kidding me!!!! It amazes me what the media will do to make somthing sound more serious than it really is. It is not damaged in the photo because the guy that had the idea was shot for being stupid!!!

ClemenTang

I believe that the mods are OK with it if we continue to discuss about the "morons" using the "toys" as "weapons" even sanctions and pre-emptive strikes to stop China exporting Firebirds to the middle east so here I am provoking the mods again...

Clement

roycegraham

Yes, they should ban garbage like these chinese electrics. Not only can they fall into the hands of terrorist, but they get passed off to new people just getting into RC as GOOD STARTER aircraft. Only to leave a newcomer dissatisfied and with a heap of yellow garbage and double A batteries. I wonder how many people give up the hobby after being tricked into buying a piece of garbage like that on EBAY?

A couple of cheap box cutters did a real number on the city I live in. I'll never forget the smell of burning metal and ash. Even now, when I dust off the shelves in my apartment, I wonder about it.

Lest we forget.

ptulmer

My Feedback: (5)

Ban? Surely you jest. This is still the U.S.A., right?

Come on you military guys, you're over there fighting hard so we don't have to take this stuff seriously. Think about it for a minute. You guys are fighting in a remote area, and most folks sitting at home have no idea what it's like. I don't think that the article was written in a serious enough manner either. I can't take that seriously. It was completely ridiculous. The model airplane in question certainly isn't an advanced spy UAV and you know it. On the other hand, cwrr5, I ain't gonna take you up on that offer. Too scary. But anybody in the military has my thanks.[sm=thumbup.gif]

edited for spelling.

Willdo

It would make more sense to ban cellphones and rucksacks - much more dangerous!