The Navy's X-47B Will Be So Autonomous, You Can Steer It With Mouse Clicks

This is cool. But if it's so simple to command the thing, I hope they're as focused on security as they are on autonomy. It would suck to have a computer hacker break in and click "Goto Naval Air Base; Launch Payload" xD .

-IMP ;) :)

Since I bought an RC mini BB (airsoft) firing tank [made in china], I'd dreamt of something bigger. As a hardcore xbox gamer, (BF/BC series) i'm beyond excited!!!

Well, the navy better buy some Razer or high-end gaming mice if they want to win any war.

Now all you need it a enemy. Find some primitive life forms and vaporize them. You criminals.
USA is a nation of criminals. Criminals and zombies.
Why don't you all kill yourselves and let the rest of the planet flourish.
All you talk is attack, defeat, kill, enemy, mission end alike.
This is not freedom ... this is military Bullshit.
Nucking fats!

highermorals,

Zombies we may be but we are not a nation of criminals. It's just that we are led by a government that is composed of mostly criminals. The vast majority of us are human beings like the rest of the world, interested in raising our families in safety and freedom not activly wanting to hurt anybody.

The only difference between "us" and "them" is we have more money.

highermorals - the fact that your slanderous words against the USA are not a crime, even in the US from a US citizen, is a sign of freedom. There is no shortage of countries in the world where that kind of talk is considered sedition, treason, or heresy and punishable by fines, incarceration, or death.

Some country is always going to be on top - either through grasping responibility or through inheiriting responsibilities abdicated by others.

Considering the colonial history of the past few regimies (Spain, Franch, England) or the prospects at large (Communist China, an Islamist Millitant Theocracy, etc) - you have it pretty good no matter where you are in the world.

Honestly, who would you rather have in charge (and would they take it if you offered it to them)?

you guys are all nuts. There will never be a perfect government. Get over it. The one we have apparently is as good as it gets. When it comes to money we are starting to lose that battle. But back to the task at hand, this jet is incredible. The technology here has so many uses after war. Think off it, no more pilot errors in commercial jets, or the day where I can take a nap on the way to work while my car drives its self. It will happen before I die and this is yet another small victory in that final goal.

Yay! more kill machines. Thanks America.

Be gone trolls.

If it wasn't for the US and their "kill machines" you would be reading this website in German.

Back on topic...

If you have to click to steer it, then it is not autonomous.

America is nothing but a criminal enterprise at this point. They are bullies and cowards...they are bombing innocent, helpless people. Why don't they pick a fight with Russia? cause they are cowards...it's easy to go around bombing 3rd world countries...pathetic. The most powerful country in the world is going around invading 3rd world countries...what a joke.

USA is becoming paranoid. Yes 9/11 happened but every year 35000 americans die in car accidents that is 10 9/11 every freaking year and nothing changes from year to year.
As you could take 35000 casualties every year from crashes you can take 3000 dead in a single event.
The revenge war should end. USA if you would not provoke other countries and respect their cultures and lifestyles they will respect you too.
The Iraq war is just pillage and you all agreed to it.
There is no way to deal with thieves. You are technological advanced thieves. Sorry to say this but this is the universal truth.
This unmanned flying machines are fine for research purpose but please refrain from using them outside USA. The world respects USA borders( minus Mexico from which you stole 1/2 country)and this should be enough for you to be happy inside your own borders.
You do NOT have the freedom to start a war with anybody you please for outdated reasons.

The ignorance of SOME people that look at this website is astounding! Looks like a lot of people are really missing the big picture, with a computer as the caption it opens up the skies to everyone. Most great advances start out as military advances and then move to the private sector. I want my own flying car … doesn’t everyone?

@ highmorals...if the U.S.A was interested in punishing the criminals of 9/11 they would fly one of those things over to mossad headquarters and bomb them.

I want a flying car, but not at the expense of innocent children that the U.S army seems all to happy to kill and poison (see depleted uranium). Not to mention the trauma that the soldiers suffer.

These people are scumbags (politicians and the military industrial complex at the highest levels)...soldiers on the other hand are human, I'm sure some have empathy and regret for the genocide they are committing (it's not a war when there is only casualties on one side)...so take out the soldier and get these machines that are almost as heartless as themselves...and now they can go around killing at will, w/o any blow back. Genius!!

if any of you US haters actually live in the US then get the hell out, if not, hopefully you live in one of the 3rd world countries we invade, keep looking up, an x-47b is coming to a sky near you, good riddens

@drchuck1
Get your freaking embassy out of my country.

talk to who invited it, silly

@drchuck1
Invitation expired; party is over: get out
You may be invited back at a future date... maybe.
For now leave!

@ Highermorals / Aldrons Last Hope

I am all for America pulling out where we are not wanted. Stop wasting all of our money on these ungrateful bastards. Haters gotta hate right?

Then at the next sign of calamity in their country we sit back with our arms crossed and watch their innocents die? Well if we are hated for helping then we should stop helping and turn a blind eye? Get off a science website and stop trolling. You are both completely uneducated idiots.

@highermorals, this is the last i direct at you, you didn't invite us and you can't uninvite us, f off troll

@highermorals

We didn't steal land from mexico, we won it as a result of war.

And you say kill ourselves and let the planet flourish? Many important things were created (or done) by United states. Such as : The airplane, the (perfected) Lightbulb, The polio vaccine, We contributed GREATELY to the defeat of the Nazis, we also contributed to the fall of Communist Russia's collapse, The first practical and affordable automobile, and much, much more.

Aldrons last hope

We are not going around bombing 3rd world countries, we are trying our best to remove their ruthless dictator so that they may make their own decisions and flourish as well. And when we go to war, one of our top priorities is to help the children of the country recover from what happened. (This is a whole lot longer than i thought it would be)

I am glad I could counter Troll the trolls.

sounds like it may be easier to become a crop duster some day. might be a little more expensive though.

Ha Ha.
1.Iraq war was/is a pillage. You did not address that.
2.I speak as a citizen of the country i live in. From my point of view the US embassy could as well disappear from my city. They are tying security forces in protecting them. No other embassy is as well guarded as the US one ( that says something ). You do not add any value to my country/city: en contrair.
3.I just express my opinions which are radical but this is how they are. Take it from here.
4.I will not bow to the new US masters as you wish. Freedom also means freedom from US tyranny. I am sorry but you put yourself in this situation.
5. US hates me also but I can live with it : just get out of my country.
6. I am not your friend and there is nothing to gain from US friendship.
7. "You are both completely uneducated idiots." Says the educated idiot.
8."We didn't steal land from mexico, we won it as a result of war." Ohh yes you are the new owners and everybody has to pay rent/taxes. You can not really have everything. Live with it.
Do not thrive on conflict but on the lack of it.
I'll be back!

@highermorlas

F*** OFF is all i can say. you dont have to go around bitching about our country on a science website with (mostly) respectable people on it. On the other hand, you and your friend aldron over there show up and bug the shit outta all of us who wanna read about a badass navy plane. If you want something to happen regarding your ideas, you should go get a bunch of your other friends and talk to the US Embassy. We dont have embassies in countries unrelated to the UN. if you dont want a stranger in your home, you shouldnt open the door. next time you feel like being judge judy about wars, go talk to someone who cares.

@ aldrons last hope
You dumbass. we "bullies" "picked a fight" with Russia a couple years back. or are you to narrow minded to regard it? they almost nuked us. we had the space race. now, the reason we dont wage war on them, is because of wonderful people creating the United Nations. And by the way, we dont bomb innocent people. they attacked us.

@convictus yes that is what would be best for the U.S...get out of all the occupied countries...the u.s image is mud right now. Take that money and rebuild the failed economy.
The u.s is no hero, it's opportunistic...the only reason they are in the mid-east is because of the oil. The only blind eye they turn is towards countries that they can't suck dry..like darfur..or countries they are to cowardly to face...like China or Russia.

The c.i.a created Al-CIA-da, and financed saddam...but i'm pretty sure that is way above the heads of the people here...like i said earlier the only agency that has attacked amerikka is mossad.

I live in Toronto Canada and I can promise you the standard of living here is a lot higher than the u.s..your public schools are a joke...but I suppose it serves its purpose pumping out brain dead zombies that the elite can manipulate. Not to mention the way you leave your sick in the streets to die cause they don't have insurance.

P.S Canada won the war of 1812..so pipe down before i have to do like my ancestors and open a can of whip a$$

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^anyway ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Has anyone played Homefront yet? They have a weapon like this, but its a tank! a unmanned 6 wheeled all terrain tank. Very cool idea. you mark a target and it figures out the best path and firing angle. Still very much human controlled, but all the "work" and danger is up to the machine.

@inaka_rob Check BAE's "Black Knight" or the Mule

@inka_rob, that's the problem with the immature mindset of all the american zombies....you think war is some video game..that's "awesome"

Get out of Libya you scumbags.

Peace Through Strength !

There is a current DoD trend, to adapt Naval systems to land warfare applications. ... Aegis Ashore and Phalanx Ashore, to name just a few.

So ... How many trucks would it take ? ... How many hours? ... How many personnel ? ... To set up a land-based FOB, for these critters ?

These UCAVS can deliver critical supplies and equipment, via GPS drop canisters, as well.

I'll need to check the Wiki but, these aircraft are lighter and (I'm sure) can take off and land, in a fraction of the distance, of manned jets. (200 feet? ...Less?)

... So if we were to design a "land-based" portable carrier deck, only large and robust enough to service these craft, it dhould fit on just a few trucks and not take very long to set up ... in one night, I would expect.

Also, the large CVNs have seen their day ... These could be launched from other, adapted/recycled tonnage ...
... Our entire military is going modular-ISO (storage containers) ... An expedient deck and mag-launcher could be strapped onto the top of a container ship ... even on top of a full load of containers.

Submarine Launched (and recovered) UCAVS are in the "final" virtual design stages, as well.

GUYS, QUIT FIGHTING! This isn't about USA's government sucking or USA being criminals. This article is about THE X-47B. BTW, if everyone thinks USA kills innocent civilians because they carpet bomb, you are all wrong. The US no longer carpet bombs and even if they did, it will be in the middle of a desert on an enemy convoy or hideout. And besides, we have guided bombs now. And when we do kill civilians, we RARELY ever do it on purpose. Jesus, get a life, idiots.

Ik the argument on this page is a few days old but dear God, Yes the US is in everyone's business but most 3rd world countries either ask for our help like Libya if you haven't seen the news they said we don't care if you hit our civilians just get rid of the tyrant. Maybe the US should get out of your country and all other countries because they ask for help we help and when we do help they get pissed maybe we should get rid of the American branches of the red cross and all other companies and organizations that help aid the world and we'll see how much we're missed then. We give away billions of dollars of aid with almost no thanks. Every country to us seems like just another Somalia we go in we help then we're hated because of a few casualties war is war and if you manage to kill one man who has killed thousands upon thousands and they get mad about a few dead all of a sudden we're worse then the tyrant they wanted us to get rid of. And yes we're in the middle east because of the oil that's no secret anybody with open eyes can see that. No we didn't create al qaeda but we did train osama bin laden who later created al qaeda so yes we indirectly created al qaeda our goal was to help them be able to defend themselves so we wouldn't have to invade 3rd world countries again but that obviously back fired because of nine eleven and you know why we don't mess with the worlds other leading super powers? because everyone is connected you sound like a baffoon talking about us messing with china or russia i mean all it would accomplish would be world war 3 wich would just be a disaster all over. Yes our school system sucks believe me i'm still in it i'm 16 and proud to be an american you know why? because i don't have to kiss ass to my leaders to get anything done in my country. But hey mr. Canadian if we're so horrible and bullies why don't you bring your army down and fight ours? oh wait i wouldn't even call that an army....and wherever your from @higher morals take ur countries army and put it to the test and we'll see who's on top you know why we're on top? because we've worked for it billion of dollars of research we'd rather have a way to defend ourselves and u know why china has better testing scores and averages and such they don't teach everyone they teach the top of the country we teach everyone from the dumbest retard up to the down right geniuses so all of you haters back up and turn around and look in the mirror because all your doing is arguing on the internet wich accomplishes nothing and yes ik i'm just wasting my time but do i care no because i have time to waste and even if we did go to war with china we would crush them they may have man power but we have enough bombs to destroy there entire country six times over but russia on the other hand is another story they are a strong people let alone there army is the second on the planet in my opinion and "that's all i have to say about that"-Forest Gump