Says the Robbster:
Over half of Air Force UPT (undergraduate pilot training) grads are now assigned to pilot drones rather than a real aircraft.* The big question is why are drone pilots, guys that fly robots remotely from a computer terminal, going to a very expensive year of pilot training?
And then gives the answer: so they can control personnel deployment and therefore protect budget lines. But if airpower maintenance goes the way of every other career, there’s no reason why drone piloting shouldn’t be organised on a call centre basis. It’s the sort of thing that could provide, for instance, Salford with employment, and Salfordians already employed standing outside doors with an entrée to the middle classes: virtual bouncing, conducted in the warm. I think this is more likely than the Robbster’s scenario of South Korean-inspired virtual thumb ninjas.
I think those on the ground might have a few.
Posted by: A Different Alex | December 22, 2011 at 05:32 AM
there's no reason why drone piloting shouldn't be organised on a call centre basis
Given the number of unsolicited calls I get each day from call centre around the globe I certainly hope not. Once you get onto one of those lists it's very, very hard to get off. Or perhaps that would be seen as a feature rather than a bug?
Posted by: CMcM | December 22, 2011 at 11:22 AM
"Please note that your death may be recorded for training purposes and also for creepy people to put onto YouTube. "
Posted by: Richard J | December 22, 2011 at 11:31 AM
I can't see why outsourcing US drone missions in Pakistan to Indian call centers should be a problem.
(I haven't read nearly enough of him to feel completely comfortable saying this but it really does feel like the Ballardian century.)
Posted by: Barry Freed | December 22, 2011 at 01:18 PM
"Your drone is very important to us."
Posted by: skidmarx | December 22, 2011 at 04:32 PM
Just to say hello to everyone from the spiritual capital of political correctness gone mad: King County, WA. Democrats and reasonable people everywhere: do not rename your city, state, whatever after Martin Luther King Jr., even if it's already named 'King ...' for another reason. It just hands some actual live ammunition to the nutjobs.
Posted by: Charlie W | December 22, 2011 at 04:45 PM
Yes,and the state's named for someone with plenty of other stuff named for him. When is enough enough for these white people?
Posted by: skidmarx | December 22, 2011 at 05:02 PM