May 31, 2017

Here you have it, part two of the background information on Barnstormers where I talk a little bit about the drones themselves. 

The concept for the barnstorming drones is based on existing remote controlled model jets. If you’ve never seen one of these check out this video (takeoff is at 2:15). The world record for these remote controlled hobby planes is 440 mph (for comparison a Tomahawk cruise missile can travel at 550 mph). 

In Crow’s Gambit traditional GPS and satellite communications don’t exist anymore. Communication with the drone is maintained by “borrowing” cell towers or over-the-air transmissions. This makes communication spotty with limited bandwidth. To account for this the drones use a form of supplemental artificial intelligence that reduces the amount of information needed from the pilot.

Barnstormer drones are crewed by two, a pilot and a RIO (radar intercept officer). The RIO manages the communications connections and maps the route ahead. The pilot and RIO interact with the drone through advanced virtual reality headsets. Often they are not even in the same physical location. 

If you have any questions or comments about the story please let me know! And please Recommend the book or offer a Review. 

PT