A new meaning for “Death from Above”

The picture seems to show a cheerful woman demonstrating a helicopter toy. In actuality it is a prototype of a explosive delivering automated killing machine. One that is not guided or flown, but one that picks out targets on its owns and decides where to deliver its lethal payload. The idea is to drop hundreds or even thousands of these in an area and have them seek and destroy.

Darpa has already awarded contracts to develop these critters to several companies.

The specifications call for this robot to be able to withstand several forms of deployment. Delivery by artillery and bomb drop, for instance. The military envisions a bomb, holding hundreds, or even thousands, to be dropped on the battlefield in preparation for war. And during the actual battles, to ferret out hidden enemies or weapons.

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