There was a new agreement reached today between the UK and France to jointly develop Drone Technology, one aim being to replace Fighter Aircraft with Drones. See here - Cameron and Hollande finalise plans for Anglo-French drone

As an anything-that-flies enthusiast from way back I'm technically interested in the drones and in seeing how they develop and what technology they use. So it will be fascinating to see how that pans out. Fat chance that the discussion will stick to that, but I've put it in the title, so there.

The article, however, is thought-provoking at different levels, the political, the moral as well as the technological.

There is an interesting turn of phrase at the bottom of that article, namely,
A recent report by the Ministry of Defence said multiculturalism was a significant factor in the public opposition to conflict, as a war-weary public becomes increasingly uncomfortable with seeing British troops deployed to countries from which they once came. --- Lots of issues there.

Btw, that reminded me of this video about the abilities of modern image stabilization systems as showcased in BBC's Planet Earth 2:

Or should I say, the abilities for fooling spectators? the abilities for controlling the weak minds? perhaps, the abilities for arresting you to the sofá?

Drone pixels, or more properly voxels (droxels?). This is not the first kilodrone display though.

https://youtu.be/4mHDDG3FCjs

I was expecting that to be more fireworky, I guess. At least in the dazzle and pattern display of it all. There's not much wonder in a 'droxel' screen displaying characters. That's neat, but I totally get that you could do that. I suppose battery life is a big concern but a little more "wow" would of been nice. I'm sure it plays better in person too. Videos aren't known for doing such things justice.

Yes, for pure spectacle the most excessive was a mix of fairly old-fashioned fireworks, props, and a ridiculously oversized LED screen opening Shanghai Expo 8 years ago.

https://youtu.be/_1DBfe-zBzE

Fireworks is increasingly getting banned, even in China, as a fire and health hazard, so there are alternatives like laser, sound and light shows. 

https://youtu.be/z1V5H5q_gQ8
All in all a reusable, sustainable, and relatively harmless alternative. You can also project on water, buildings and other natural or manmade features, and highrises these days often have pixelated wall displays, as well as computer-operated indoor lighting. 


https://youtu.be/C6-UCkS7lKw
Is the above drone display more dazzling than that? Well, no. Isn't synchronised drone dancing overkill for essentially a voxel display? Well, yes. But being programmable, scalable, and extensible it can be both bigger and better as the drone displays are debugged and encapsulated. A million laser-equipped drones diving towards you could make for quite some experience.

Yes, for pure spectacle the most excessive was a mix of fairly old-fashioned fireworks, props, and a ridiculously oversized LED screen

For sure. A full fireworks display is quite busy but a right mix could be a great precursor to more digital shows. Drones with huge bursters in the back drop might be hard to keep track of. But drone acrobatics with concussive accents would be awesome.

But being programmable, scalable, and extensible it can be both bigger and better as the drone displays are debugged and encapsulated. A million laser-equipped drones diving towards you could make for quite some experience.

I was thinking more like that. And I was totally on board when I started that video. Them streaming up off the wall, the LEDish screen even. Then they scattered and I was expecting... well more. I mean my criticism undertandingly, tho. My first thought was the battery issue. But to get the sweeping patterns and clustered formations bursting apart or fountains of drones, that I was anticipating, may require more processing power than currently applicable.

Voxels are very cpu intensive. Keeping track of an array of boxes of a certain size and their 3D orientation on a grid with variable states is quite taxing. A battery issue is easily solved with multiple sorties but the dynamic show I had envisioned may still be a bit off. 

*mo' grammar edits.

Now they want to kill fireworks. These people are not humans anymore.

There is far more fireworks in China than the rest of the world combined. The Chinese spring festival/new year lasts 15 days. Left to their own there will be fireworks all those days. 

https://youtu.be/gz8R9cEy1v4

The best view is from around the 20th floor, then the fireworks explode right outside your window. If you are higher you will be looking down on the fireworks, 
https://youtu.be/qak8OOAIzIs


However, the cost in buildings and human lives lost from firework is massive, as is the smoke pollution. Like this (almost completely finished) skyscraper fire in 2009. No doubt we've reached peak fireworks, alternatives will be found. 

https://youtu.be/U2iAfYxiET8

Speaking of firework, this drone is remote-powered, but an automated one could add some flair to a drone display. 

https://youtu.be/78jCq-PY2oQ

One of the few things occidentals credit the Chinese is for discovering gunpowder. The base of fireworks.
Now they substitute it for whatever laser manbo jambo and Jax, as always, applauds.

This man will go far. Chinese are known for paying well.

Outdoor fireworks is going the way of indoor smoking, nothing you or I can do about it, if we wanted to. If you live far enough from built-up areas you might be able to fire up a cigarette or a rocket, as long as you won't set off a forest fire. In Northern latitudes the ground wouldn't be dry around (Western) New Years Eve. I don't know if there are any fire restrictions in the US around 4th of July.

This trend is not Chinese-led, quite the opposite. The Chinese Communist Party is often presented as this all-powerful institution, but they recognise that there are forces more powerful than themselves, and that includes the Chinese need to burn money. (Let's not kid ourselves, Chinese men's need to make a bang. Chinese women fire up too, but not nearly with the same fervour.) Fireworks were banned, but the authorities gave in. The subsequent fires, fatal accidents and maimings, noise and bad air have made them roll back.

Among the odder experiences of my life was living in a technicolor war zone a fortnight a year (the money runs out so there were far less of it by the end than the beginning, but there was always something being blown up). Air pollution comes from power plants, factories, construction and cars, all of which there are far less of during Spring Festival, and the air clears up a lot. But then the fireworks start and you breathe sulphur for the next couple days.

Nothing exceeds like excess, but traditional self-fired fireworks have had their day. Peak firework is behind us. Admittedly laser drones are the fireworks equivalent to vaping, but in time it should be more spectacular with a lot less dying. At least until the first major programming error.

Not sure if this is topical, but Alexei Navalny enjoys droning a lot above oligarch and high-up state officials' estates.

I wonder how you furnish so many rooms.

Drones and kites fly over Gaza protests.

Israeli drones launching gas over manifestants against Palestinian kites with incendiary tales.

Just search in the internet.
 Aren't drones such a good thing?

You are being brained. Israel is the dangerous lot.

We're getting somewhere.

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

Swarm of flying dicks, fml.

Flying pricks, even... 

https://youtu.be/J8fFVOoqepc?t=180

I am not impressed with that  Alexei Navalny.