US sends drone to inspect damaged Japanese nuke plant

[Turborama]

Source: Sify News (Pakistan)

2011-03-17 15:00

- The United States will fly a high-altitude drone over Japan's Fukushima nuclear power plant to take a closer look and assess the degree of the damage that has occurred inside the reactor buildings.

The unmanned plane is equipped with infrared sensors and cameras, which will provide useful clues to what is occurring inside the reactor buildings and determine the extent of the damage. It will also warn against any further damage.

Conditions at the plant had deteriorated on Wednesday, with increasing radiation levels forcing Japan to order workers to temporarily withdraw from the plant, prompting the US to warn its citizens living within 50 miles of the area to evacuate.

Pentagon Spokesman Col. David Lapan said the US would review assistance requests from Japan that would require troops to move within the 50 mile radius and said that the troops were receiving anti-radiation pills before missions to areas where radiation exposure is likely.

Read more: http://www.sify.com/news/us-sends-drone-to-inspect-damaged-japanese-nuke-plant-news-international-ldrpaffjiaj.html

[inademv]

1. Why don't they use

those hover capable drones that the British police were starting to deploy?

[SkyDaddy7]

4. We have those as well but you might not need them...

depending on the sensors the high altitude drones have. The cameras on those things are far better than the clips we see on TV. So they will be able to see right down inside those buildings with the tops blown off & the be able to take temp readings & probably a ton of other readings.


I personally think this is a really good idea!

[placton]

2. maybe the drone can bomb a wedding or 2

as it returns - seems that is what they are best at?

[fasttense]

3. Oh God not drones.

Run for your lives people of Japan. They are especially programmed to take out funerals and weddings. They will kill you a lot quicker than the radiation.

The Japanese just can't get a break.

[MindPilot]

6. I can only hope you forgot your little sarcasm thingy. n/t

[jakeXT]

5. Let's see what US ahm Chinese circuits are made of, Russian robots failed at Chernobyl

http://smi-svoi.ru/images/robots/Chernobyl-robot(1).jpg

[democrat_patriot]

7. Hopefully no wedding nearby - they might get bombed.

Just sayin'.

[ensho]

8. but when it comes back to home base no one can near it

it may be too hot to decontaminate

the drones cost tons of money to make

[RedCloud]

9. Let's see. Drone detects high radiation. Drone flies back over USA.

Where's the harm in that?:think:

[av8rdave]

11. I'm not sure it's even capable of being recovered in the US.

It's a good idea, IMO. If there is a way to assess what's going on without further risk to people, they should try. Even if it's a "suicide" mission for the drone (non recoverable or reusable), the cost will be infinitely offset by the benefit. My guess is that the data collected will be downloaded before it even returns.

[RoccoR5955]

10. For once, a good use of drones! n/t

[Uncle Joe]

12. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, Turborama.

[sarcasmo]

13. World Police sending drones, hope they aren't armed.