- #71
Drakkith
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I don't foresee a time where we have space combat with drones but they don't have the capability of being fully autonomous even in a com-zero (communications-zero) situation. Things like target selection and formation-keeping don't require communications, so assuming that drones are given appropriate objectives (go here and destroy target, patrol this region and engage anything matching without friendly IFF, etc) then communications may not strictly be necessary. Communications back to a mothership certainly aren't necessary.
Of course, there are other ways of communicating than radio or microwaves. WW2 pilots often got along just fine using hand signals, so something like a set of signal lights that can rapidly blink out binary signals would serve drones just fine in terms of tactical communication. Lasers could serve the same purpose for longer range comms, and are much harder to jam.
At worst they'd be about equal with human pilots who also don't have communications. They'd simply go about fulfilling whatever their immediate objectives are, just like pilots already do.
Of course, there are other ways of communicating than radio or microwaves. WW2 pilots often got along just fine using hand signals, so something like a set of signal lights that can rapidly blink out binary signals would serve drones just fine in terms of tactical communication. Lasers could serve the same purpose for longer range comms, and are much harder to jam.
At worst they'd be about equal with human pilots who also don't have communications. They'd simply go about fulfilling whatever their immediate objectives are, just like pilots already do.
Can you give a realistic example? Remember that things like friendly fire incidents or hitting the wrong targets already happen in real life, so the goal isn't to have perfect decision making, just to make the number of these incidents as low as reasonably possible.GTOM said:Because in some situations, human level intelligence, decision making is needed.