• marcos@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      8
      ·
      6 hours ago

      On the case of the real drone, the laser is destroying the cable.

      On the OP’s case, yes a laser can interrupt the communication. But the drone needs to keep sending it, or the drone will just continue after it’s gone. On the other hand, you need less power.

    • real_squids@sopuli.xyz
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      2
      ·
      edit-2
      5 hours ago

      We still don’t know the full story, it was probably a drone flying rounds trying to detect fiber optic and something else cut the cable, there’s no way you’re powering a 5kW laser off a quad

      edit: even if it’s tethered, which isn’t a real thing yet

      • real_squids@sopuli.xyz
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        1
        ·
        edit-2
        38 minutes ago

        ok so the giant battery is in the tank, guess how big a cable would have to be? You’re not putting that on a quad

        edit: it’s also impractical as hell to tether drones when most roads get netting installed over them, just saying

        edit2: why not just put the laser on the tank? fry the drones around you directly instead of hoping you cut the comms in the fiber optic lines

          • KairuByte@lemmy.dbzer0.com
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            1
            ·
            6 minutes ago

            The battery isn’t the issue they were talking about. They meant “so instead of batteries on the quad you’re powering it from the tank.”

          • real_squids@sopuli.xyz
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            1
            ·
            46 minutes ago

            I can show you a chunky 500W cable for a pc power supply, would be just as relevant. Look up cables of actual laser power supplies, they’re big and relatively dense, and we’re talking about tethering a quad, it’s not gonna fly well with that dangling.

        • Teh@sh.itjust.works
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          1
          ·
          1 hour ago

          It wouldn’t have to run at full power all the time, just when actively defending against a drone. There are lots of other harder to solve issues.

          • real_squids@sopuli.xyz
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            1
            ·
            1 hour ago

            Ok and? Still needs batteries and cables to withstand peak power, still needs to be tethered somehow, still needs another crew member constantly flying it. Not to mention being this close to combat and to the ground, you better have some insanely good lens protectors or that laser is gonna be out of commission after any shrapnel lodges itself in.

            Completely made up idea to counter this made up idea, but if you’re putting it on armor - a 12 gauge turret sounds so much easier. Doesn’t need a shitload of power, can put it onto a generic stand/turret base, targeting is easier and you’re guaranteed to ruin the enemy drone’s life

  • cartoon meme dog@lemmy.zip
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    3
    ·
    5 hours ago

    does it destroy the actual glass cable, or does it get inside and travel along the optic path and burn out the transceiver? burning the glass to breaking point seems like it would take a heck of a lot of energy, so i assumed it was attacking the light sensors at each end of the line, but people keep saying it’s actually breaking the glass.

    • einfach_orangensaft@sh.itjust.worksOP
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      4
      ·
      5 hours ago

      thats a very good question, let me suggest 2 more options:

      1. It injects laser into the fiber, coded identical to the command that would be used to detonate the drone.

      2. It dosent need to fully burn thru the whole fiber, just melt it a tiny bit to increase fiber losses to a point where the connection fails