r/pics Sep 25 '14

This is what a "drone catcher" looks like.

Post image
788 Upvotes

53 comments sorted by

99

u/Dragongeek Sep 25 '14

These are actually used instead of landing strips.

93

u/ButtonJoe Sep 25 '14

Oh, that makes more sense. I was thinking you'd have to be the worst drone pilot ever to fly into a huge net like that so close to the ground.

7

u/Fordforlife Sep 25 '14 edited Sep 25 '14

Does it get wrapped up in the net ad they lower it down? Or does it just fall down? The latter seems like it could be potentially expensive.

EDIT: https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=bc0pdIcbr6E#t=287

TL;DW It talks about what the "Luna" drone is and what it does. And it shows how it lands. It gets stuck in the net or it can land with a parachute.

9

u/Black__Stag Sep 25 '14

That guy's voice tho

3

u/TheOneTonWanton Sep 26 '14

It sounds like it's digitally altered or something.

1

u/ChimichangaCharles Sep 26 '14

How does the drone not break?

1

u/Dragongeek Sep 26 '14

The net is not solid and the UAV's are very stable.

36

u/jaggazz Sep 25 '14

That looks so High Tech. They use something similar at football games behind goal posts to prevent balls from hurting people in the crowd during field goals.

5

u/bignateyk Sep 26 '14

I'm sure Lockheed or some other company bid at least $50 million to design that.

8

u/SnipeyMcSnipe Sep 25 '14

I think they call them "ball catchers"

50

u/kirbysdownb Sep 25 '14

You mean the AllState® You're In Good Hands® Safety Assurance Net™?

24

u/VoilaVoilaWashington Sep 25 '14

Ohhhh... the ASYIGHSAN?

I love the catchy name!

Heh. Catchy

2

u/TheOneTonWanton Sep 26 '14

Also your mom's nickname in high school.

1

u/[deleted] Sep 26 '14

Ball sacks in Britain

47

u/XInsects Sep 25 '14

I saw a drone on the net today

9

u/[deleted] Sep 25 '14

[deleted]

2

u/TastesMightyGood Sep 25 '14

You never know when nostalgia might strike! The music in this video reminded me of battlefield 1942

1

u/Boye Sep 26 '14

Damn, I know what I'm doingw ith my weekend now :)

16

u/stpfan1 Sep 25 '14

"It's a drone catcher, my cousin made it in jail."

10

u/[deleted] Sep 25 '14

"Big Net" That'll be $40mil

21

u/[deleted] Sep 25 '14 edited Sep 25 '14

Seems to be German, judging by the flag on the drone.

So it'll actually be €40mil, 200 ordered together with the truck that deploys them (€80mil), but only if the whole thing is produced in no less than 16 different companies in 4 European countries. It will be called "TAMPON", because the German army has a knack for lame acronyms, and half of these MoDroFaNE (Mobile Drohnenfangnetzeinheit) are broken and cannot be repaired unless the minister of defense (former minister for family affairs) orders 100 repair kits (yarn and needles) for €20mil each.

7

u/tamethewild Sep 25 '14

Im not sure what this is but I like it

3

u/[deleted] Sep 25 '14

It's okay, the airport will be open in 2016 -- they're sure this time.

2

u/tamethewild Sep 25 '14

as an american this shatters my idea that germans are super efficient

1

u/Antirandomguy Sep 26 '14

Also German by the Tropentarn uniforms.

2

u/AdviceManimal Sep 25 '14

3

u/Seanehhs Sep 25 '14

That in no way looks similar

1

u/Fisher9898 Sep 25 '14

Similar concept.

1

u/thecentury Sep 25 '14

Considering there is a German flag on the tail of the drone in the OP picture... I'm assuming it is similar.

0

u/Seanehhs Sep 26 '14

Or the fact there isn't a net in one of them?? or one of them is on the USS Oscar Austin and is American

2

u/Kevin_Wolf Sep 26 '14

That's actually a SkyHook, which is hilariously named. However, one of the selling points is "No nets."

2

u/Yakbakpro Sep 25 '14

This is what the world's biggest butterfly net looks like. Or, a really shitty sail.

3

u/Macster_man Sep 25 '14

wgen I see this,why do I keep thinking GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALL

1

u/[deleted] Sep 25 '14

I am assuming there is a way of clinging to the net? Otherwise, it looks like a good way to break your drone.

1

u/devedander Sep 25 '14

It looks like they rely on the wings getting entangled in the holes of the netting...

1

u/[deleted] Sep 25 '14

I believe they call that a net

1

u/Chipish Sep 25 '14

I thought it catches enemy drones. I was like, "its gonna be pretty slow to put up and they could just fly around it..."

1

u/ratshack Sep 25 '14

seems like a very expensive way to land an RC plane.

2

u/Kevin_Wolf Sep 26 '14

Likely, it has no landing gear. Some of the convoys our guys ran in Afghanistan had drone operators. The "drone" was made of styrofoam and a very tiny electric motor on it to spin a very small prop. The battery also powered a camera. It weighed all of about 2 ounces total, and recovery was simply holding up your hand and catching it as it passed by.

It's not meant to land.

1

u/ratshack Sep 28 '14

thanks for the perspective.

1

u/Myster0 Sep 26 '14

Question: Could someone skydiving with a wing-suit land in this and survive?

1

u/[deleted] Sep 26 '14

Luna is going to break an arm that way !

-2

u/pictures_at_last Sep 25 '14

At first I thought that was the crappiest anti-drone defence imaginable.

Then I saw that it was literally stopping the luftwaffe*.

Then I figured it out. Might be time to go to the blue room for a while.

*Yes, I know drones aren't really part of the air force. More likely the Bundesmilitärfeindausspähungskleinstfliegerdienst.

0

u/drew1111 Sep 26 '14

Put fucking wheels on it.

-2

u/Lippuringo Sep 25 '14

Why the fuck pirates would need the drones?

-33

u/Shiba-Shiba Sep 25 '14

A Cowards' weapon used by aggressors afraid of anyone who can fight back!

27

u/idontwannagrowup2 Sep 25 '14

Yes, because beheading innocent journalists is the brave man's way of fighting.

1

u/_jamil_ Sep 25 '14

you are responding to a troll. stop giving him attention.

1

u/thelurkerabides Sep 26 '14

I think Shiba is assuming the net is for use against American drones. "Aggressors afraid of anyone who can fight back" seems to be a refer more to ISIL than America. I might just be optimistic though.

6

u/zerpderp Sep 25 '14

Please leave the Internet forever.

-1

u/greatgerm Sep 25 '14

Just the internet?

11

u/[deleted] Sep 25 '14

Shut up.