X-47B--the Navy's baby

There has been a ton of new stuff to post about drones, but I just haven't had the time recently. Let's start here with yet another link to Danger Room, which is currently discussing the Navy's new drone at some length. But here's a look first:



As the article has it, the proprietary software allows the drone pilots to program where they want the drone to go. "Then they go off to get a sandwich."

The big deal for the Navy, whose creature this is, is that they are really really hoping to be able to launch and land one these things off the deck of an aircraft carrier.

My question after watching the thing in in action is the same one it always is: Doesn't anybody besides the Apple ad guys remember HAL?

Drones in the courts

Slate reports that relatives of U.S. citizens killed by drone strikes are suing the American government. Panetta and Petraeus are named in the suit. Read all about it here .

And if you live near California's Central Coast...a live event

With surprisingly perfect timing for this blog, the bookstore that I work at is hosting an event for Medea Benjamin's Drone Warfare: Killing by Remote Control . It will be at 7:30 on Monday, July 23rd. Even if you can't make it, you can order a copy at the above link. 

McChrystal in Aspen

Danger Room has yet another drone post. This time it conveys General Stanley McChrystal's thoughts on the use of drones at the big league Aspen Ideas Conference. Not as pro-drone as you might think. Not as anti-drone as you might hope, either.