• FabledAepitaph@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    9
    ·
    4 天前

    I’m not sure the insurance companies will pay out when someone loses a quarter billion dollar freighter plus cargo and associated personnel in a warzone when they come back with “but we put a cheap drone out front just to check for mines” lol

    • towerful@programming.dev
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      4
      ·
      4 天前

      I dunno if a “cheap drone” can produce the same magnetic response that a fucking cargo ship can, but it seems extremely unlikely.

      And what, you have 2 in the water ahead of you? Is that enough for it to be clear for a cargo ship? They function perfectly all the time and catch every single mine?
      What happens when 1 finds a mine? How many extras do you carry? What happens when you run out, “just turn around”?

      Drones could probably clear a shipping channel, but at some point and actual ship is going to have to go through it.
      And the suez canal was blocked for ages due to 1 ship, even after having been operated for decades. That, except the ship sinks.

      • hector@lemmy.today
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        2
        arrow-down
        1
        ·
        4 天前

        Plus I think many of the mines do not float, they lurk below the water line, making them harder to spot.