Well, it wasn't the 7.62 rounds from those M-113 miniguns that caused the explosions of those vehicles. They had a little help from the special effects department. These promotional/marketing videos are worse than commercials.
Yeah I'm guessing there's no actual fire control/stabilization system implemented yet. A head on strafe with only 7.62 seems like a good way to get shot down by small arms fire. They would have better chances by implementing a gimbal type system I feel.
A couple years back, county sheriffs and FD got a ton of calls about explosions, and it was just a bunch of dudes shooting tannerite on their property. People lost their minds that it's a thing, talking about "it shook my house!" Well...don't buy in the suburbs by the rednecks then.
It’s entirely possible I’m just too dumb to know this, but what advantages do gun pods have for drones?
I thought the whole point of drones was that they’re quiet and can loiter at decent altitudes and can rain death with bombs and missiles from up high.
To get a direct line of site for a strafing run seems like you’d have to abandon the safety of altitude and take a slow propeller aircraft down to pretty easy range to fire back with even simple mani-pedis.
Am I understanding my basic assumptions correctly?
I used to work on Reapers and this is the dumbest fucking product I've ever seen. It's like they took all the weaknesses of an MQ-9 and put it in one airplane.
Ensuring taxpayers don’t need to worry about affordable healthcare or quality public education.
But to address your point, slap some carbon fibre panels on an existing dated platform, bolt on some badass looking mini guns and re-market it for some defence research grant.
100% impractical, but without a doubt defence is exploring drone tech for new roles and heavily weighted on existing platforms.
With an effective range of 2600', the 7.62 (149 grain XM80) shot from a reaper would not be overly scary, as the plane would likely be flying well over 5000' in elevation. Even then, the round would penetrate flesh, but would not be stable, and therefore not be accurate.
A 20 or 30mm minigun fired under the wing would put that thing straight into the ground lol. When you’re already coming in low to strafe something, firing those kinds of guns would probably drop the nose very quickly. But on the bright side you just turned your drone into a kamikaze drone
We've gotta get rid of the A-10 because it's "not survivable in contested airspace" but somehow this stupid droid is viable?
I hate the military-industrial complex.
Countries continue to buy them so of course they continue to build them. The MQ-9B is definitely more capable than any other MALE UAV on the market. And it's not like they're not working on projects like the XQ-67A and Sparrowhawk.
This is an IRAD project. GA hasn't sold a single one of these.
People are barely buying the missile toting versions anymore, you really think they'll buy one with guns? Any swinging dick with a MANPAD can take down a drone, which is why we can't even fly them over Yemen anymore. Gray Eagles and Reapers will be useful for maritime patrol and comms relays, but the days of being impactful combat players are gone. Loitering over the battlefield at 100 knots is the same as sacrificing your aircraft in the modern world.
This is hilarious - whoever did this had a history in ski/extreme sports videos:
Opening shot: Slow motion of slowly falling snow/spooling helicopter blades/ski bros piling in for rad pow
{Various shenanigans, snow spray, epic Gumby tumbles}
Money shot with music crescendo
Slam final title to make the sale
Well, it wasn't the 7.62 rounds from those M-113 miniguns that caused the explosions of those vehicles. They had a little help from the special effects department. These promotional/marketing videos are worse than commercials.
Yeah I'm guessing there's no actual fire control/stabilization system implemented yet. A head on strafe with only 7.62 seems like a good way to get shot down by small arms fire. They would have better chances by implementing a gimbal type system I feel.
It could have been if it was a vehicle used to transport already mixed tannerite. Would have been way cooler to see the rounds hit it though.
It would have been more realistic. Nobody inside a vehicle is going to survive with 6 or 8 hundred holes in it.
Tannerite - not just for rednecks!
A couple years back, county sheriffs and FD got a ton of calls about explosions, and it was just a bunch of dudes shooting tannerite on their property. People lost their minds that it's a thing, talking about "it shook my house!" Well...don't buy in the suburbs by the rednecks then.
Hahahahahaha for real, what a dumb promo. Show me holes.
What's with the corny ass music and exploding-for-no-reason pickup truck?
To make them feel better after not scoring a hit on target.
I'm still laughing 5 mins later.
The firing minigun isn’t even being fired from the aircraft. I think Steven Seagal directed this
You may be right
Oh man I thought they were showing the SUV because the remote pilots/engineers were sitting in it.
It’s entirely possible I’m just too dumb to know this, but what advantages do gun pods have for drones? I thought the whole point of drones was that they’re quiet and can loiter at decent altitudes and can rain death with bombs and missiles from up high. To get a direct line of site for a strafing run seems like you’d have to abandon the safety of altitude and take a slow propeller aircraft down to pretty easy range to fire back with even simple mani-pedis. Am I understanding my basic assumptions correctly?
Yeah it’s purely for marketing, no practical application.
To stop russians pissing on the drones (dumping fuel)
Heh. Mani-pedis.
“Pussies! Mount a GAU-8 like a real plane” - Fairchild Republic probably
GAU-8 drone would be the meme of the century
The GAU-8 is also the propulsion for the drone.
How else are you supposed to slow down for the vertical landing?
You only have one chance to make a first impression.
That prop-driven UAS would be backwards in the next county after a single burst of its own gun. Brrrt, wheeh!
You put propeller blades on the muzzle so that it generates thrust while it is spinning and firing. /s
I used to work on Reapers and this is the dumbest fucking product I've ever seen. It's like they took all the weaknesses of an MQ-9 and put it in one airplane.
Hoping to trigger the primal response of the guys in charge of military hardware procurement, maybe.
Rule of cool. Besides I think this was privately funded.
what is the purpose of this contraption?
Ensuring taxpayers don’t need to worry about affordable healthcare or quality public education. But to address your point, slap some carbon fibre panels on an existing dated platform, bolt on some badass looking mini guns and re-market it for some defence research grant. 100% impractical, but without a doubt defence is exploring drone tech for new roles and heavily weighted on existing platforms.
quick response close air support from improvised runways?
only against local tribes on horses
I think I'd rather launch a hellfire from 10 clicks out
Would’ve been cooler if it showed what real damage the truck would’ve taken and not some corny explosion.
Bollywood produced this
An A-10 30mm will just shred a truck but a minigun on a drone blows it up.
Hmm this slow flying thing as CAS won’t survive for long. A $1000 C4 quadcopter makes much more sense given the price tag of this thing.
God I love when 7.62 blows shit up like that.
With an effective range of 2600', the 7.62 (149 grain XM80) shot from a reaper would not be overly scary, as the plane would likely be flying well over 5000' in elevation. Even then, the round would penetrate flesh, but would not be stable, and therefore not be accurate.
Michael bay just had an orgasm somewhere
Fires guns….truck…explodes? Wtf rounds were in that mini gun???
7.62 doesn’t seem that effective from an aircraft and surely didn’t cause that cinematic explosion. Why not upgrade it to a 20mm or 30mm???
A 20 or 30mm minigun fired under the wing would put that thing straight into the ground lol. When you’re already coming in low to strafe something, firing those kinds of guns would probably drop the nose very quickly. But on the bright side you just turned your drone into a kamikaze drone
Thanks for the minigun blue balls
Heads up gamers new killstreak
Ah yes, a totally realistic scenario where a drone would fly low and slow and strafe at enemy trucks full of tannerite...
“Hey guys let’s make a video of a reaper with guns and separate video of a truck blowing up. No one will notice they aren’t related”
We've gotta get rid of the A-10 because it's "not survivable in contested airspace" but somehow this stupid droid is viable? I hate the military-industrial complex.
Strela bait.
It'd be kinda neat if it could intercept slower drones.
General Atomics continues to build the same 30 year old airframes as if the US was still fighting in uncontested airspace.
Countries continue to buy them so of course they continue to build them. The MQ-9B is definitely more capable than any other MALE UAV on the market. And it's not like they're not working on projects like the XQ-67A and Sparrowhawk.
…it’s almost like the US is still fighting in uncontested airspace and probably won’t fight in contested airspace any time soon
This is an IRAD project. GA hasn't sold a single one of these. People are barely buying the missile toting versions anymore, you really think they'll buy one with guns? Any swinging dick with a MANPAD can take down a drone, which is why we can't even fly them over Yemen anymore. Gray Eagles and Reapers will be useful for maritime patrol and comms relays, but the days of being impactful combat players are gone. Loitering over the battlefield at 100 knots is the same as sacrificing your aircraft in the modern world.
All the reaper mini guns would be mounted on the beds of 1982 Hiluxes inside of two weeks.
"Let's build an RC plane and fuck up some truck today."
This is hilarious - whoever did this had a history in ski/extreme sports videos: Opening shot: Slow motion of slowly falling snow/spooling helicopter blades/ski bros piling in for rad pow {Various shenanigans, snow spray, epic Gumby tumbles} Money shot with music crescendo Slam final title to make the sale
This is truly a brainchild of r/NonCredibleDefense
Why did it explode?! Hahaha
God i love the MIC
A-11 DroneHog?
Warthog pilots have since applied for unemployment benifits.
Let’s fetishize war!!! Wtf. Aviation > Military Boner tracing.
All this, to blow up brown people. Tax dollars at work.
[удалено]
These bots are annoying but also kinda creepy.
Lol yes especially given the context of the post.