Linux-powered iPad compatible Smart Rifle

[Algebraist]

Yes as far as terrorist attacks go I would agree the homemade bomb remains the main threat.

However a remote controlled gun such as this could potentially be of use for an assassination of a high profile figure if it could be hidden effectively from an effective "view point". More than one of the guns could also be hidden and controlled by a single individual so the lone gunman could become more of a threat. Chances are though the guns would then be lost but the gunman can then get away a lot more easily - subject to not being ultimately traced through the purchases. Something for the FBI to consider....

[Jub]

The bigger use for a drone might be to fly a scoped rifle to a sniping point so the sniper can walk in totally unarmed and inconspicuous. Even that is pretty marginal value though.

[Sea Skimmer]

I would wager a drone big and noisy enough to lift ten pounds of rifle inside a case is going to be noticed more then a man stashing the case in position ahead of time. At least it would be any time soon, if we had some future in which millions of delivery drones are buzzing around already then maybe not. It wouldn't really change anything about counter sniper tactics in any case, they already have to assume that the shooter can reach a firing position but such assassinations remain rare in the developed world.

[cosmicalstorm]

I agree with you Sea Skimmer that this is the case for today and the near future. But I still believe that future drones will be much cheaper and could be as small as a fly. And the algorithms that run these things are improving. I would like to see insect drones that deliver 3 grams of C4 into the nose of a terrorist leader via an insect bot.

[Sea Skimmer]

Really tiny drones are going to be impossible to shield from even crude HPM weapons which can basically sweep the skies clear of them. That greatly limits the military value, and as for killing a terrorist, well, killing them has never been a problem. Its finding them first.

We can already make some pretty small insect sized UAVs, but the capabilities are very limited and stuff like the damn wind starts to become a critical problem unless they only need to cover very short distances. Most insects can't fly in any serious wind, certainly not at any height above ground level. I doubt such things will ever be all that useful except for providing a bigger drone a means to see inside a building. Likewise, future recon drones of all sorts are likely to be used heavily for simply leaving behind static expendable cameras and networking devices, that sort of thing is already becoming fairly well developed though not extensively fielded.