U.S. Customs grounds fleet of drones after crash at sea

Reuters ^ | 1/28/14 | Alex Dobuzinskis

[Riflema]

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has grounded its fleet of drones after a crew was forced to crash a pilotless craft off the coast of Southern California because of a mechanical problem, a spokesman said on Tuesday.

The crew operating the malfunctioning drone deliberately downed it in the Pacific Ocean, 20 miles southwest of San Diego at about 11:15 p.m. local time on Monday, the official said

[Riflema]

Odd that. All the MSM stories tell us the drone was monitoring the Mexican border offshore of Southern Cal. Home base was Sierra Vista, Ariz., maybe 400 miles from San Diego, but a lot closer to the actual Mexican border. So two questions:

(1) Do they think we too stupid to look at a map?

(2) Why not mention it was patrolling the actual Mexican border?

[JoeFromSidney]

At least they didn't lose a pilot.

[freedumb2003]

If you could find it and recover it that would be the baddest-ass RC plane ever.

[Bill W was a conservative]

These things fall out of the sky? Did we know that?

[Riflema]

Maybe a Fast’n’Furious AR15 took it out from South of the Border?

[PLMerite]

“If you could find it and recover it that would be the baddest-ass RC plane ever.”

That’s probably why they crashed it at sea. To lessen the chance of injury on the ground and reduce the odds of recovery by the wrong people.

[ConradofMontferrat]

I think it got hijacked by some nefarious folks, and instead of losing it, they splashed it.

Chinese and Russians can and will commandeer and steal a drone.

Russians gave the Iranians a “present” a year or two ago.

Remember that?

[Riflema]

So I humbly propose that we immediately ban the use of these infernal machines over US territory. After all, you never know when they'll drop from the sky? It's for the chiildddrennnn. Think that line would work with our new masters?

[FluffyTexan]

But I want drone delivery of pizza, wine, and cigarettes. :(

[Riflema]

You gotta hand it to Bezos. 3 weeks before Xmas he gets a slot on 60 minutes and makes headlines around the world with this drone crap.

3 weeks before Xmas.

And 60 minutes, being real journalistas and not just PR agents for the ruling class, lap it up. I guess it was fake but true.

[FluffyTexan]

I lapped it up as well so I’m in no position to criticize 60 minutes.

It seems perfect for those blurry times when I find myself thinking “What day is it? Why am I not smoking? Will you bring drinks with the cheesy stuff?” That’s three stops in this state and most of them are miles apart.

Plus the drone courier doesn’t look superior when my robe falls open and a dog escapes.

[Riflema]

Ah, yes, but its webcam will happily pass on this valuable info re: your consumer habits!

[FluffyTexan]

They might offer me 10% off a leash and/or a bathrobe tie-off?