Saturday, May 04, 2019
Not exactly new
Think Amazon's delivery drones are a new idea?
November 1922.
And the article shows that it was radio-controlled, not just a piloted blimp with a radio for the pilot. BUT: From the other articles in the series, it's clear that the device was 'proof of concept'. There was no way for the blimp to know where it was, since TV cameras weren't practical yet. So the radio control was strictly one-way, and presumably would have required an organization of ground-based controllers to keep it in sight. Much more labor cost than a pilot!
It's too bad the techies of the '20s hadn't yet invented the Technoid Cult aka the Open Beta Church. Nowadays the customers would gladly pay for the privilege of doing all the work, plus serving as self-sacrificing guinea pigs.
November 1922.
And the article shows that it was radio-controlled, not just a piloted blimp with a radio for the pilot. BUT: From the other articles in the series, it's clear that the device was 'proof of concept'. There was no way for the blimp to know where it was, since TV cameras weren't practical yet. So the radio control was strictly one-way, and presumably would have required an organization of ground-based controllers to keep it in sight. Much more labor cost than a pilot!
It's too bad the techies of the '20s hadn't yet invented the Technoid Cult aka the Open Beta Church. Nowadays the customers would gladly pay for the privilege of doing all the work, plus serving as self-sacrificing guinea pigs.Labels: Alternate universe
¶ 5:18 AM
