Comments on: The drones are coming: border protection fleet for Adelaide

By: Hamis Hill

Hamis Hill — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 01:57:12 +0000

But if 850 whales had been slauaghtered in the Arafura Sea? then the area would be swarming with privately funded rescue vessels, right?

By: Gavin Moodie

Gavin Moodie — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 23:02:08 +0000

… a *piloted* Dash aircraft …

By: Tony Kevin

Tony Kevin — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 22:31:55 +0000

I read with interest Liam Mannix’s article ”The drones are coming ” reproduced yesterday in Crikey.
Please suggest to Mr Mannix that he pursue with his official sources the question of response times to data indicating asylum-seeker boats in distress at sea, as collected by Drones visually or electronically. How quickly will such data be received and analysed in
Edinburgh Base in SA? Instantaneously by electronic transmission, or only after return to base several hours later? How long to send out a manned Dash aircraft to check situation at coordinates? Human life is at stake here -860 people have drowned at sea in the past four years, most of whose lives could have been saved had rescue responses by Australian authorities been faster. If the drones can improve response times to distress at sea,
that will be good news for RAAF and for our maritime safety authorities. Regards, Tony Kevin Author of ”Reluctant Rescuers” http://www.reluctantrescuers.com

By: zut alors

zut alors — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 08:48:42 +0000

Here’s an idea: don’t waste money or Australian lives on senseless wars which create desperate refugees. Isn’t that the root of the problem?

And what about privacy invasions of “Anything that’s broadcast — anything from radio messages, mobile phones, all the secret stuff that the military use from various countries, anything. It can gather any information that’s in the airwaves.”

I imagine News Corp can’t wait to put a fleet on order.

By: McFly Marty

McFly Marty — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 04:29:00 +0000

Size of a 737??!?!

Why do they have to be so big? They’re not carrying passengers or cargo or anything

By: Gavin Moodie

Gavin Moodie — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 04:23:14 +0000

Burns should stop using the sexist ‘manned’ (quoted 8 times in 690 words) and use ‘piloted’ or some other non sexist term common in the field.

By: Joshua Saunders

Joshua Saunders — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 02:15:10 +0000

This should at least put an end to the influx of Tasmanian refugees attempting the hazardous crossing to Victor Harbour.

By: mikehilliard

mikehilliard — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 01:44:06 +0000

Just thinking of the carbon footprint from flying half a dozen 737’s around in circles all day & having to get them from Adelaide to Darwin.

By: JKUU

JKUU — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 01:22:50 +0000

“The drones are coming — to Adelaide.”

That’s odd. They’ve been ensconced in Canberra since 1927.

By: Andybob

Andybob — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 01:20:58 +0000

Well sure it can “touch down briefly in Darwin to refuel”. But if you are tasking them to the north and west then thats a lot of commuting to get them to work. Perhaps its got more to do with where the RAAF personnel driving and servicing the drones prefer to live ?

By: مكينCampeonDelMundo

مكينCampeonDelMundo — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 00:07:31 +0000

the EU did consider drone program to monitor the Med sea but they abandoned it, because it would be too costly and won’t help stopping illegal immigrants since there is no way to tell whether the boats carry illegal immigrants or refugees who can enter legally by law.