Hacker News Reader

Comment by dirktheman | Hacker News Reader

I think it would freak them out. A metal bird, making strange humming noise, hovering over their heads...

A couple of years ago I was driving on the I-95 from Las Vegas to Tonopah. Out of nowhere, a predator drone came up and flew next to our car for a good couple of hundred yards. A strange and somewhat frightening experience, even for someone who knows what drones are.

Besides, the thick jungle canopy wouldn't allow drones to get a good look anyway. We could launch crawling cameras, disguised as forest creatures, but the risk of getting exposed isn't worth the potential damage to the tribe, IMHO. I think the best thing to do is to just leave them alone.

View on HN

How long do you think it'll be until drone hunting is a widespread sport? Although, the only place with enough hunting rifles is the US, and it's probably not going to be popular there.

http://www.denverpost.com/commented/ci_23676390?source=comme...

Hah, nice!

> A metal bird, making strange humming noise, hovering over their heads...

Because a huge tanker stuck in the water would not freak them out, maybe? It's way more impressive than a small drone flying around, for people who don't even have boats.

How about this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnR8fDW3Ilo

How about this one ? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8pyzOkTiAU Just kidding.

The beauty of _not_ having science is that you can explain anything. Initially they'll be frightened and respond appropriately (withdrawal with cautious acts of violence, it seems), over time familiarity will breed contempt.

I think the best way would be really tiny drones that can pass for insects. Then we will be able to observe them without disturbing them.

Haha. I think the army was doing target practice on you. They usually practice targeting the drones on unsuspecting cars in that area.

Pretty sure they were. I can only imagine the smile of the drone operator, seeing the faces of the freaked out tourist couple in their rental car... Can't say I wouldn't do the same!

Elvis[1] does this too with water, great fun! (they do near misses and only over water obviously)

1: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elvis_(helicopter)

Why would it freak them out any more than the helicopters which they have seen before?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLErPqqCC54

They look pretty freaked out to me. Their gazes are out of this world, very intense.

Seen before and taken shots at before. They'd likely do the same to any metallic bird.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com