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Who will have access to all this information being gathered? Lot more questions then answers. Bet they won't be tracking illegal aliens as their main target.
Some individuals use statistics as a drunk man uses lamp-posts — for support rather than for illumination.
Andrew Lang (1844-1912) Scottish poet, novelist and literary critic
Thats interesting but unless they are tethered to the ground they will drift with the wind. It may be since the article says they are solar powered they will have an electric motor and propeller. Be a type of blimp rather than a balloon. I wonder also how they will protect jet aircraft from sucking one in and shelling out. The article makes me want more details.
Those who would give up essential liberty, to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety. Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790)
The FCC documents show that Southcom’s balloons are carrying small, satellite-like vehicles housing sophisticated sensors and communication gear. One of those sensors is a synthetic aperture radar intended to detect every car or boat in motion on a 25-mile swath beneath the balloon.
The balloons also have advanced mesh networking technologies that allow them to communicate with one another, share data and pass it to receivers on the ground below.
The FCC documents show that Southcom’s balloons are carrying small, satellite-like vehicles housing sophisticated sensors and communication gear. One of those sensors is a synthetic aperture radar intended to detect every car or boat in motion on a 25-mile swath beneath the balloon.
The balloons also have advanced mesh networking technologies that allow them to communicate with one another, share data and pass it to receivers on the ground below.
The article says they can travel up to 250 miles from the launch site at a max altitude of 65,000'. Anywhere close to that altitude is well above commercial airline traffic. Going up and coming down through commercial air space would require some air traffic control. And I expect any military operations above commercial altitudes would already be aware of the locations.
Current balloon technology accomplishes this change in altitude by increasing or decreasing the balloon’s mass by pumping ambient air into and out of a separate section of the balloon called a ballonet. At altitude, this minor change in mass causes a corresponding rise or fall in the balloon, enabling it to change direction based on the wind patterns. It follows then that the operational problem now becomes discerning these high-altitude wind directions.
Some individuals use statistics as a drunk man uses lamp-posts — for support rather than for illumination.
Andrew Lang (1844-1912) Scottish poet, novelist and literary critic
Current balloon technology accomplishes this change in altitude by increasing or decreasing the balloon’s mass by pumping ambient air into and out of a separate section of the balloon called a ballonet. At altitude, this minor change in mass causes a corresponding rise or fall in the balloon, enabling it to change direction based on the wind patterns. It follows then that the operational problem now becomes discerning these high-altitude wind directions.
Did the idea come from watching our current politicians it sounds so familiar
A local company out of Sioux Falls called Raven's (the division that actually makes balloons and blimps is called Aerostar) makes some of them. A good number of the engineers in the place I work have left to go work for Raven's. Some parts of Uncle Sam (indirectly) pay better than more direct parts of Uncle Sam. Or at least that's the reason people give when leaving...
I have seen that name in my reading up on this. I am amazed this is being used in many places and is so quiet about the capabilities. They are being manufactured by several companies around the world as well.
Some individuals use statistics as a drunk man uses lamp-posts — for support rather than for illumination.
Andrew Lang (1844-1912) Scottish poet, novelist and literary critic
