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Anduril announces Roadrunner, jet-powered VTOL drone

(www.anduril.com)
186 points drak0n1c | 5 comments | 01 Dec 23 05:04 UTC | HN request time: 0.826s | source
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rootcage ◴[01 Dec 23 05:40 UTC] No.38483558[source]▶
ATM the biggest problem for LRAD is cost, you fire a $12K Patriot missile to intercept what is either a $40 million jet or a $300 drone. This is revolutionary.
replies(5): >>38483573 #>>38483585 #>>38483588 #>>38483589 #>>38483595 #
1. richardw ◴[01 Dec 23 05:47 UTC] No.38483595[source]▶
Aren’t they using guns to fight cheap drones, at least for cities in Ukraine ? Eg Gepard.
replies(3): >>38483781 #>>38483960 #>>38484131 #
2. murkt ◴[01 Dec 23 06:23 UTC] No.38483781[source]▶
Gepard is a specialized anti-air vehicle with a radar and pretty expensive shells. Very effective and cheaper than Patriot/NASAMS/IRIS-T missiles, but not really cheap. It’s mainly used on the outskirts of big cities, AFAIK.

When intercepting drones and rockets in a middle of nowhere, what’s often used is a regular machine gun that’s mounted on a pickup truck.

3. 15155 ◴[01 Dec 23 06:55 UTC] No.38483960[source]▶
What goes up must come down, including the unexploded ordnance these systems produce. Not ideal for use in populated environments.
replies(1): >>38485385 #
4. Maxion ◴[01 Dec 23 07:28 UTC] No.38484131[source]▶
Ukraine is using everything that they can get their hands on - regardless of how effective it actually is.

Gepards have pretty short range in comparison to any missile system.

5. m4rtink ◴[01 Dec 23 10:53 UTC] No.38485385[source]▶
The better AA autocanon shells actually have a timed airburst fuze (set at firing time!) so only small fragments should be raining down (for non-dud shells).