Video: The shotgun-equipped robo-copter is now fully operational
posted at 4:46 pm on December 6, 2007 by Allahpundit
I want to love it. I try to love it. But they did such a piss poor job with the demo video that I just can’t get excited about it, no matter how awesomely awesome it is on paper.
Picture it. A close foreground shot of a watermelon perched on a stack of milk cartons set in an otherwise open field. Silence — then, in the distance, a low buzz that grows steadily louder as a dark shape appears on the horizon. Second later it comes into view, swoops sharply down towards the melon, pumps — and pops that sucker like the zombie’s head at the beginning of “Dawn of the Dead.” Dude. Dude.
The problem is eventually Texans would get hold of it and soon there’d be one of these flying patrol over every home east of the Rio Grande.










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12 gauge?
Wimpy.
They should attach a light weight 105mm and use BeeHive rounds.
MB4 on December 6, 2007 at 4:50 PM
Such a groovy post and then…donk
Jerk
Or did I miss the incredibly sophisticated nyoo yawk humor?
Ochlan on December 6, 2007 at 4:50 PM
How is this a problem? Maybe for undocumented guest workers migrating north….
Frozen Tex on December 6, 2007 at 4:55 PM
Pretty cool, but yeah the presentation is horrible. I couldn’t read anything on the screen. How is the gun fired? Is there a camera sight onboard to see what they’re shooting at?
CP on December 6, 2007 at 4:57 PM
How about just loading the shotgun with dragon breath rounds…oh yes…
Ochlan on December 6, 2007 at 4:59 PM
“Rounds are fed from an 8-round box magazine, 20-round drum mag, or 32-round drum mag.”
http://www.defensereview.com/article623.html
They should at least use the 32 rd drum. 32 is not a lot of ammo on full auto, 8 is nothing.
mad saint jack on December 6, 2007 at 5:02 PM
Fixed it for you.
ScottMcC on December 6, 2007 at 5:02 PM
On “Future Weapons” they showed (shew?) a helicopter UAV armed with 2.75 inch Hydra rockets and would also be able to carry guns and missiles. I think it was called the Fire Hawk or something like that.
Tony737 on December 6, 2007 at 5:04 PM
You could build that for 1500.00 but when a government contractor builds it, it will be 100,000.00+ per copy.
TheSitRep on December 6, 2007 at 5:05 PM
Ducks or skeet?
BL@KBIRD on December 6, 2007 at 5:07 PM
Druggies and Coyotes.
Frozen Tex on December 6, 2007 at 5:09 PM
Dude!
Griz on December 6, 2007 at 5:27 PM
Um…I think this is against the law. Mounting weapons on vehicles is frowned upon by the feds I believe.
Pretty cool tho. I think a shotgun is alittle limiting tho especially when BBs or pellets can achieve the same kind of standoff purpose with much less recoil.
Pilgrim on December 6, 2007 at 5:39 PM
Put a light gatling on it and maybe a shotty for grenades, it’d be much better.
Bad Candy on December 6, 2007 at 6:08 PM
where can I buy? been sitting out in the cold for two weeks and only seen two doe.
I could strap a remote vid camera on one of these and sit by the woodstove and hunt “that Buck” that left all those wonderful rubs and scrapes and has eluded me since September.
Can you get it with a 360 controller?
amend2 on December 6, 2007 at 6:12 PM
Texans got skeeters bigger then that.
Limerick on December 6, 2007 at 6:15 PM
The gun needs to be stablized. The barrel moved with every movement of the copter, which means the weapon would be very inaccurate. It would probably kill more innocents that bad guys.
Helloyawl on December 6, 2007 at 6:16 PM
Dude, I can sooo imagine a flock of geese in a V formation, when in the distance a low hum becomes audible, followed by blamblamblam. Christmas dinner!
Rode Werk on December 6, 2007 at 6:29 PM
Imagine a few of these coming from the distance…closing in…as the Wagner music blares louder and louder.
JetBoy on December 6, 2007 at 6:43 PM
Too much gun on too unstable a platform.
steveegg on December 6, 2007 at 7:02 PM
Yep, too much gun not enough copter. Keep working on it boys. Fun video though, would have loved to pop off a few with it myself.
Zorro on December 6, 2007 at 9:16 PM
you guys obviously know what your talking about 1L.. i gue3ss in reality then,, to forward your opi onion into the future (my future) .. I can’t get it by spring turkey season with the 360 controller… ?
amend2 on December 6, 2007 at 9:26 PM
Problem? They should give them a tax break to help pay for the thing. Think of the money we’d save on the wall.
BacaDog on December 6, 2007 at 9:34 PM
Never seen so many Texans so sensitive over a lighthearted jibe. Weird..
Reaps on December 6, 2007 at 9:41 PM
Ya know,somewhere,someday,a Dr.Evil type is
going to develope,through nano technology,
a mico-nuke,fitted into a small remote control
jet,and far off on a hill,the’ll be a flash.
But yes,the copter shotgun is cool.
canopfor on December 6, 2007 at 9:59 PM
Dude! I want one for our neighborhood watch.
Haaaaaaa, perfect! Da da da da daaaaaa!
conservnut on December 6, 2007 at 10:23 PM
Besides, I love the smell of cordite in the morning, it smells like…….VICTORY!!!!
conservnut on December 6, 2007 at 10:25 PM
How would you aim it anyway? Unless you have some kind of remote camera mounted on there so the operator can look through a scope or sights–that watermalon is more likely to get eaten later than shot, it seems to me. As Glenn Beck would say, “I’m not a gun guy, but I am a thinker.” What am I missing?
smellthecoffee on December 6, 2007 at 10:45 PM
There is a real wild turkey problem near my place.
If there is a camera option for this rig, we’re talking a big turkey dinner.
Hening on December 6, 2007 at 10:47 PM
Without a mounted cam, there isn’t even a point in the helicopter, nevertheless having it weaponized.
nottakingsides on December 7, 2007 at 12:35 AM
Eventually I could see platoon leaders with something like this. Drop a large frag in on an enemy foxhole or something.
Mojave Mark on December 7, 2007 at 1:57 AM
I want one.
As to a howitzer, maybe a self-deploying howitzer mounted on a chopper, so one guy, flies it and lands it in an optimal position, it deploys, fires its rounds, packs up and moves on.
I see this kind of tool as an alternative to snipers…unmanned mini vehicles delivering a deadly payload, all controlled by an XBOX 360.
Sensei Ern on December 7, 2007 at 8:10 AM
People are jumping on the security bandwagon. However.
1. It’s too noisy.
2. The kickback will cause collateral deaths after the first
MSGTAS on December 7, 2007 at 9:32 AM
Oops must finish previous post
2. ….first round is fired and the copter is thrown off target, and of course we know how accurate a 12 gauge is. Especially when the shoot pattern is set for the widest spread.
3. As previously noted by others it must have a camera mounted to assure you are shooting at the enemy and the enemy are not watermelons.
4. DHS will classify it as a WMD because naturally the free market is based on criminal intent, and the manufacture will surly sell their products to anyone wiling to pay for it. Of course only the DHS knows who the enemy is, but they are not free to tell them, or us, who the enemy is because it is U.S.
So why build it anyway.
MSGTAS on December 7, 2007 at 9:56 AM
With the ability I’ve shown flying model helicopters is the past… I think I’d better pass on putting any kind of weapon it it. I have enough trouble with the darn things attacking me the way it is!
taznar on December 7, 2007 at 12:01 PM