BraveLittleToaster@lemmy.world to NonCredibleDefenseEnglish · 6 months agoWhy doesn't the military do this? are they stupid?lemmy.worldimagemessage-square71fedilinkarrow-up1356arrow-down19
arrow-up1347arrow-down1imageWhy doesn't the military do this? are they stupid?lemmy.worldBraveLittleToaster@lemmy.world to NonCredibleDefenseEnglish · 6 months agomessage-square71fedilink
minus-squarebufalo1973@lemmy.mllinkfedilinkEnglisharrow-up30arrow-down3·6 months agoIf you fire a laser against a mirror, it bounces but raises the heat of the mirror so you end up melting the mirror and destroying the drone.
minus-squareskulblaka@startrek.websitelinkfedilinkEnglisharrow-up25·6 months agoI may risk being too credible here, but a $80 drone is a lot more expendable than a $40m laser tank. The drone can be considered a consumable. Hell, mark the drones down as ammo.
minus-squareCanadaPlus@lemmy.sdf.orglinkfedilinkEnglisharrow-up10·6 months agoDepending on how long you do it, how powerful the laser, and how quickly it can cool off at the same time. And like the other guy said, you can make really good mirrors if you only care about one wavelength.
minus-squareBigMikeInAustin@lemmy.worldlinkfedilinkEnglisharrow-up9·6 months agoBut the drone stays in the air by making wind, which would cool down the mirror?
minus-squareCanadaPlus@lemmy.sdf.orglinkfedilinkEnglisharrow-up4·edit-26 months agoUnironically yes. If that’s not enough, add water.
minus-squareBigMikeInAustin@lemmy.worldlinkfedilinkEnglisharrow-up3·6 months agoA laser attack during a hurricane would really surprise the target.
minus-squaremindbleachlinkfedilinkEnglisharrow-up2·6 months agoDo not point laser at remaining eyewall.
minus-squaremindbleachlinkfedilinkEnglisharrow-up8·6 months agoIn all seriousness, wavelength-specific dielectric mirrors can approach six nines of reflectivity. The hard part is hitting the mirror instead of the drone.
minus-squarethreelonmusketeerslinkfedilinkEnglisharrow-up3·6 months agoJust make the mirror as wide as the drone! Oh, wait…
minus-squaremindbleachlinkfedilinkEnglisharrow-up3·6 months agoYeah I guess you can’t pulse-ablate a mirror made of plastic. Though it invites a backup strategy of spraying your enemies with molten drone.
If you fire a laser against a mirror, it bounces but raises the heat of the mirror so you end up melting the mirror and destroying the drone.
I may risk being too credible here, but a $80 drone is a lot more expendable than a $40m laser tank. The drone can be considered a consumable. Hell, mark the drones down as ammo.
Depending on how long you do it, how powerful the laser, and how quickly it can cool off at the same time.
And like the other guy said, you can make really good mirrors if you only care about one wavelength.
But the drone stays in the air by making wind, which would cool down the mirror?
Unironically yes. If that’s not enough, add water.
A laser attack during a hurricane would really surprise the target.
Do not point laser at remaining eyewall.
not if you have total internal reflection
In all seriousness, wavelength-specific dielectric mirrors can approach six nines of reflectivity.
The hard part is hitting the mirror instead of the drone.
Just make the mirror as wide as the drone! Oh, wait…
And keeping the mirror surface clean
Yeah I guess you can’t pulse-ablate a mirror made of plastic.
Though it invites a backup strategy of spraying your enemies with molten drone.