Drones and the Technothriller

[James]

Drones are everywhere! Perhaps I'm over-sensitive as a former MQ-1 Predator (aka armed drone) pilot, but I'm unsettled by the usage of drones in current fiction. As a pilot I sometimes felt like flying by remote control took me out of the action. As a reader, I sort of feel the same way. Shouldn't a protagonist be in the thick of it? Do we really want our hero chasing the bad guy around via joystick while munching on a doughnut? What do you see as the role of drones in today's technothriller?

[David]

Yes, the protagonist should be 'boots on the ground' in his quest. But I see nothing wrong with a drone being used as a source of information.

[James]

Quillracer wrote: "Yes, the protagonist should be 'boots on the ground' in his quest. But I see nothing wrong with a drone being used as a source of information."

I completely agree. Drones are a major piece of current and future battlefield technology, and can't be ignored. Certainly a cool drone or two will enhance a high-tech spy or military thriller, but the hero must have "boots on the ground."

[David]

I would also see nothing wrong with the hero calling in an armed drone to help him get out of a jam or send one to save another character. But only as a last resort in both cases.

[James]

Quillracer wrote: "I would also see nothing wrong with the hero calling in an armed drone to help him get out of a jam or send one to save another character. But only as a last resort in both cases."

Good point. I think Joel Rosenberg did that in The Twelfth Imam.

What about "hacking" drones as a major plot driver? Overdone? Killed as a concept by 24's tomfoolery?

[David]

Never watched 24, so I can't comment. But I've seen other shows (a Castle episode for one) that revolved around it. I know it's theoretically possible, but I always find it hard to believe that any 'someone' could hack them.

I could more realistically see the hero taking over control of a drone to save someone in danger. Defying authority and all that.

[James]

Quillracer wrote: "I know it's theoretically possible, but I always find it hard to believe that any 'someone' could hack them."

I saw that Castle [chuckle].

You are correct. Predators and Reapers (our current armed "drones") aren't actually drones at all, and so they aren't hackable. As someone still bound by non-disclosures, I can't get into details, but the myth of "hacking" armed drones stems from the idea that insurgents could pick up video at one point. That was only because the pilots were transmitting video with unencrypted signals to make life easier on the ground-pounders. Anyone close enough with a scanner could grab it. To call that hacking is like saying you "hacked" into your favorite FM station by tuning it up on your car radio.
Future, "true" drones that are autonomous and networked might pose more of a hacking issue, though, but I think DARPA is well ahead of the game on that one.

[James]

Eduardo wrote: "Darn! And I thought this would be a thread where I could plug Dead Beef,"

And yet you managed to do it anyway... [grin]

Sounds like your book more than touches on the topic. So, Eduardo, does your protagonist use the drone as a tool while in the thick of the action, or operate the drone from the safety of a bunker? Go ahead and expound.

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

Eduardo wrote: "Darn! And I thought this would be a thread where I could plug Dead Beef, a techno-thriller in which drones play a major role.

Eduardo Suastegui
Story-telling that ..."

nice sideways plug, Eduardo, but we're trying hard to keep self promotion out of anything but author threads. That's why we created the "tell us about your book thread." Since James asked you, feel free to answer his question this time, but for the future, for everyone reading this, please don't do it.

[Lance]

Armed drones can make for good threats to the protagonist, and can be very hard to fight against. I use that device in my near-future thriller (named for a cardinal compass direction, in case you're looking).

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

Lance wrote: "Armed drones can make for good threats to the protagonist, and can be very hard to fight against. I use that device in my near-future thriller (named for a cardinal compass direction, in case you'r..."

Again -- even disguised self promotion is self promotion and doesn't belong here. Thanks.

[James]

To get the discussion back on track. Let's talk about micro-drones. As a mobile bug, no pun intended, I get it, but what about as a weapon? For instance, in The Tenth Circle, Blaine McCracken employs a handful of marble sized self-guiding drone bombs to make quick work of some snipers. Too easy? Or does it serve to keep the action rolling?

[Russell]

I wrote a review of Sting of the Drone, which I enjoyed, but I tend to agree that just reading about someone blowing up the bad guys from thousands of miles away is not very rewarding. I don't find military drones to be at all like the civilian ones that are fast becoming so popular. I have a Phantom 1 myself and foresee all kinds of positive non-military uses if the public can get over its irrational paranoia about them. I definitely see thrillers and mysteries being able to incorporate personal drones into the plots.