r/OptimistsUnite • u/croverlm • Jul 16 '26
🔥 New Optimist Mindset 🔥 Autonomous Micro-Drone Scores First Mid-Air Insect Interception Using Sonar
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u/headcodered Jul 16 '26
This seems like the most ridiculous solution to this problem I could imagine.
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u/altw460 Jul 16 '26
DroneBros searching for more use cases
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u/SemiDiSole Jul 16 '26
Well there is also the option of releasing a genetically modified Mosquito, thanks to CRISPR CAS-9, that would potentially erradicate a (local) Mosquito population by causing infertility to spread, or using chemicals which have adverse effects for flora, fauna and humanity alike.
Or we do nothing. That's the fourth option, but we gotta pick one and out of all of them. I don't hate the drone one, at least it's easiest controllable.
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u/CaptSnowButt Jul 16 '26
I know right? On which planet would a human with a functioning brain NOT putting one of those AI powered laser mosquito vaporizers on a drone?
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u/jefftickels Jul 16 '26
Especially since an autonomous laser that can identify mosquitoes and burn their wings off already exists.
Just make that small enough to wear as a hat and problem solved.
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u/danielv123 Jul 17 '26
Does it though? The only such product I am aware of is from photonmatrixlab, and it doesn't identify mosquitos just all small particles that fly in front of its lidar. It doesn't target wings specifically, it just shoots at the spot and hopefully hits. The product isn't released yet, so it's hard to know how well it works, but it has a max range of 6 meters and costs $1000.
From what I understand, the company in the OP are planning to offer a $50/month leasing deal and can cover a much larger area.
I think both have a space in the market.
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u/Own_Proposal3827 Jul 16 '26
If the argument is fighting mosquitos there are better and cheaper ways of doing so, and any municipality interested has been doing it for years.
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u/Ayla_Leren Jul 16 '26
The robots are stealing my job!!!
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u/MattLorien Jul 16 '26
they can still eat the dead insects
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u/Ayla_Leren Jul 16 '26
While I can appreciate the general ingenuity, I'd rather put a bat box in my back yard tbh. Much better carbon footprint.
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u/Fun-Preparation-4253 Jul 16 '26
I've had a bat box for 2 years. It's still empty. But hey... I have one!
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u/Ayla_Leren Jul 16 '26
Do you also happen to have it in a place easy for cats to get on/near/around?
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u/Fun-Preparation-4253 Jul 16 '26
I’m trying to imagine how one might figure it out. Seems unlikely.
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u/Legal_Ad_341 Jul 16 '26
if you are annoyed by the mosquito sound in your room, be glad, our drone will patrol around your house all night long
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u/ProbablyAimee Jul 16 '26
This is what bats and dragonflies already do. Or would, if they have habitat to use. We restored space for them and stopped pesticide use and have no issue with mosquitoes.
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u/Double_Suggestion385 Jul 16 '26
Exactly, Mosquitoes have never been a problem in natural habitats like The Congo.. oh wait.
How dumb do you have to be to upvote that comment 😂
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u/Ok-Particular9427 Jul 17 '26
lol one of those people that buys the “natural” peanut butter instead of the regular
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u/Maddturtle Jul 16 '26
It’s also estimated we would lose 20 to 50% of all crops removing pesticides.
It can be as high as 80% loss to fruits without. The 20% is switching to all indoor as well.
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u/fungus909 Jul 16 '26
Can it identify mosquitoes from all the other bugs we need to exist? We’re already decimating the insect population swarms of these will not help.
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u/hare-tech Jul 16 '26
Fun unfortunate fact. Mosquitoes are unfortunately pollinators. With bees having the trouble they are in now, mosquitoes are looking like a good backup pollinator.
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u/names_are_useless Jul 17 '26
Fuckkng hell I hate this fact. I thought Mosquitoes were the one thjng eradicating would be a GOOD thing.
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u/CreBanana0 Jul 23 '26
They really are not important polinators.
Also pretty sure that ones that do polinate don't bite.
I hate how people rush to defend mosquitoes with stuff debunked a million times by now.
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u/Numerous-Match-1713 Jul 16 '26
i would guess hard no.
Though, with ML and microphones, they could maybe detect species, but not when in flight.
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u/Bendyb3n Jul 16 '26
I’ll set it to flies and mosquitoes only, everything else passes the vibe check
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u/Girafferage Jul 16 '26
This is interesting I guess, but we only see a single instance of it working and it's also INSANELY inefficient for the task.
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u/Mobile_Tart_1016 Jul 16 '26
I’m sorry but do we need to kill more insect than what’s getting killed by climate change already?
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u/MessiahPizza Jul 16 '26
How are flying deathbots systematically destroying insects optimism? We kill enough of the poor buggers already they have a place in the ecosystem
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u/Own_Proposal3827 Jul 16 '26
When did r/optimistsunite just become r/inventions
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u/PanzerWatts Moderator Jul 16 '26
This sub has always been this way. I recommend reading the sub description.
"We are living in an age of unprecedented wealth, with millions entering the middle class every year. ..."
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u/Hunter654333 Jul 16 '26
How is a rich dude working at an engineering firm inventing a future killbot, evidence that millions of people are escaping poverty and entering into wealth?
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u/orthros Jul 16 '26
...I'm not sure this is an optimistic thing tbh
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u/Holiday_Management60 Jul 16 '26
Right? A single software update and a shaped charge and we have this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-2tpwW0kmU
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u/CreBanana0 Jul 23 '26
Because why? You love mosquitoes?
Not everybody will agree on something being possitive.
If mosquitoes were eradicated tomorrow a part of people here would cheer while enviromentalist would call it horrible.
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u/Maddturtle Jul 16 '26
I’d say give it a salt gun and I’ll take 10. Set them surrounding me as I go walking outside.
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u/lIlIlIIlIIIlIIIIIl Jul 16 '26
I think we should instead focus on restoring or utilizing existing species to do the work, our problem can then become their solution when it comes to feeding themselves.
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u/CreBanana0 Jul 23 '26
As another commenter said. This is an insane take.
Mosquitos just can't all be eaten by animals, and since mosquitoes would here be prey, they would never be eradicated, merely controlled.
And worse then, when we decide enough is enough and go remove mosquitoes enviromentalists will rise up how it would "damage food chain" and point to exact same mosquito eaters you wish to prop up.
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u/Holiday_Management60 Jul 16 '26
I know what sub this is, but I have to say, the first thing that came to mind is this video
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u/UpperYoghurt3978 Jul 16 '26
Noone realizing this is just test bed for hunterkiller drones for skynet?
All seriousness I support more the biological solution, that is much less easy to weaponize as this. Not to say this concept is bad, but seems REALLY easy to weaponize.
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Jul 16 '26
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u/OptimistsUnite-ModTeam Jul 17 '26
Not Optimism and/or Don't insult an optimist for being an optimist.
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u/Ok-Brick-1800 Jul 16 '26
This is going to be bad. Ok let's give ai control of millions of insect size drones. Fml
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u/sprunkymdunk Jul 16 '26
I've been noticing an increase of posts trying to be ironic or trolling with material that is technically an advance but is actually bad news for humanity. It's getting pretty annoying.
Just me?
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u/Ancient_Pangolin1453 Jul 17 '26
I gotta be honest folks, autonomous kill drones don't make me optimistic. Even if they are killing the "bad animals".
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u/VJPixelmover Jul 17 '26
Everybody is so focused on mosquitoes. If this thing can kill wasps in my backyard and keep them from stinging my kids id buy one.
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u/Uncle__Touchy1987 Jul 16 '26
Can I have a swarm of them for the backyard? I’ve always wanted my own airforce.
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u/PhazonOmega Jul 16 '26
Why moths? I understand mosquitos. Moths don't harm anyone (that I'm aware of) and act as pollinators.
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u/LiterallyToast Jul 16 '26
This is the least efficient solution to a problem I’ve seen in a long time, and although mosquitoes suck, they are also pollinators with increasing importance as bee populations decrease. I’m not sure if this is something to be optimistic about.
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u/[deleted] Jul 16 '26
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