OK: and - then what????
Popinjay - ""Consideration should also be given to a system that allows the remote pilot to shut down the aircraft immediately in the event of an unexpected state or failure."
What a bloody good idea - a 'Kill-switch" - pearls of wisdom drop from the ATSB boss; although from which end of the boss they dibble we ain't sure.
1.852 converts Knots to KpS. 1 nm/sec = 1.852 KpS. 30 knots = 0.5 nm/ minute: so do the maths - 35 Kg @ 30 Knots = 0.926 Kilometres distance travelled - after the 'kill switch is toggled. F= MA provides the impact force of a 35 Kg thing with a 2.6 meter wingspan hitting something. All very esoteric - but if you ever want to experience F=MA in the real world, try this. Place your thumb on the workbench and allow a 0.5 Kg hammer to drop from eye height onto it. Quite a wallop ain't it; sore for a week at least, for a month's worth of pain - swing that hammer with some force (malice aforethought) - you'll get the message fast enough. Sure, it is not a regular occurrence, but it happens and there are no 'fail safe' measures to prevent it (bar common sense). My hammer weighs in at 24 ounces (0.68 Kg) the fail safe is me. The 'drone' under consideration has no built in 'fail safe' - loose control of it, at speed and altitude and the operator who hits the 'kill' switch has no further control (non whatsoever) from that moment over 35 Kg @ 10 knots = 18.5 kilometres per hour/ 60 = 0.3 K per minute. Allow what; say a 1.5 minute descent after the 'kill' that's 2/3 kilometre (ish) travelled before it reaches the deck - out of positive control. Kill switch - yeah, OK but what about 'control' after the event - the 'impact' maths get complicated from here - but it is quite a whack. Every aircraft has an alternate means of control after say an engine failure- Aye; 'tis limited but it at least it has a fighting chance of not hitting Bunning's out of all control on a Sunday morning.. Bring on the Drones if you must - but lets have some 'fail safe' control built in with a little more imagination than just a stellar example of ATSB safety thinking like - "hit the kill switch" (and then what?)..........A well trimmed man-hole cover on descent....
Popinjay - ""Consideration should also be given to a system that allows the remote pilot to shut down the aircraft immediately in the event of an unexpected state or failure."
What a bloody good idea - a 'Kill-switch" - pearls of wisdom drop from the ATSB boss; although from which end of the boss they dibble we ain't sure.
1.852 converts Knots to KpS. 1 nm/sec = 1.852 KpS. 30 knots = 0.5 nm/ minute: so do the maths - 35 Kg @ 30 Knots = 0.926 Kilometres distance travelled - after the 'kill switch is toggled. F= MA provides the impact force of a 35 Kg thing with a 2.6 meter wingspan hitting something. All very esoteric - but if you ever want to experience F=MA in the real world, try this. Place your thumb on the workbench and allow a 0.5 Kg hammer to drop from eye height onto it. Quite a wallop ain't it; sore for a week at least, for a month's worth of pain - swing that hammer with some force (malice aforethought) - you'll get the message fast enough. Sure, it is not a regular occurrence, but it happens and there are no 'fail safe' measures to prevent it (bar common sense). My hammer weighs in at 24 ounces (0.68 Kg) the fail safe is me. The 'drone' under consideration has no built in 'fail safe' - loose control of it, at speed and altitude and the operator who hits the 'kill' switch has no further control (non whatsoever) from that moment over 35 Kg @ 10 knots = 18.5 kilometres per hour/ 60 = 0.3 K per minute. Allow what; say a 1.5 minute descent after the 'kill' that's 2/3 kilometre (ish) travelled before it reaches the deck - out of positive control. Kill switch - yeah, OK but what about 'control' after the event - the 'impact' maths get complicated from here - but it is quite a whack. Every aircraft has an alternate means of control after say an engine failure- Aye; 'tis limited but it at least it has a fighting chance of not hitting Bunning's out of all control on a Sunday morning.. Bring on the Drones if you must - but lets have some 'fail safe' control built in with a little more imagination than just a stellar example of ATSB safety thinking like - "hit the kill switch" (and then what?)..........A well trimmed man-hole cover on descent....