If not Satellites

Reptillian wrote:

hmmm, but woldn't they quickly learn that it's not a threat or food and leave it alone?

But they are extremely territorial, and the sattelites might get in their way
(just lookin out for harpies)

alliance wrote:

(just lookin out for harpies)

In Felarya, harpies look out for you!

Guess so... still love em though. (i would take care of a harpy egg if i found one)

Ha that's a partial reason why i made this idea up. I don't like the buggers so I'd Send A UAV specially for them in the story I'm making.

Actually I had plans for something like that, too, RV.

There's an easy way to put something high up where no one will bother it. Just go so high there's not enough oxygen: 15.000 feet is okay. That way, predators maybe find it, but they won't be able to do squat about it. Harpies might be able to see it, depending on their race (there are some birds that can see a camouflaged mouse at that distance), but they need lots of energy, and thus tons of oxygen, which will already be scarce at that height. Fairies (storm sprites specially) might have the ability to go up there, but they won't be able to find it in the first place. Even the predator sense rarely seems to read farther than a mile (5.280 feet). Unless the fairies are playing DBZ and charging their ki to shoot the ground, they have seriously no reason to be more a mile high in the sky. Plus the air keeps getting faster the higher you go.

All the electronics you'll need fit in a cellphone with our current technology. A balloon can lift a small cellphone. Sensors, camouflage, and other things might not, though. Solar power should suffice, you won't be anywhere with clouds. As for staying in one place, if you send out enough hi-altitude balloons, you can count on at least a few of them being in one place at a certain time.

Sokkiz used this defense too, he went so high the air was too thin for any creature flying under its own power. No one bothered him and he could get all the sleep he wanted, on a fluffy soft cloud to boot.

He would've freezed to death, though, had I been paying attention...

Stabs wrote:

All the electronics you'll need fit in a cellphone with our current technology.

Lol I'd like to hear or see where? usually Air force guys on the ground control this type of stuff with a laptop of a sort. haven't heard a guy using his cell phone unless he/she was calling the guys at a command post that are controlling the UAV

though using multiple amounts of them at a time...that would have to take a vehicle or alternative of a sort to be launching and controlling them all at once, but that isn't a bad idea

RV, I think he was referring to the size of the electronics required for surveillance, not using an actual cell phone (we call 'em Mobile Phones over in Aus).

hmmmm, yeah i can see a highly advanced one at those sizes. Which would actually be really effective, but the cost would probably be much higher then ones as big as you.

ravaging vixens wrote:

hmmmm, yeah i can see a highly advanced one at those sizes. Which would actually be really effective, but the cost would probably be much higher then ones as big as you.

Although true, it also depends on what exactly you need the UAV for and how long. If I needed tactical data right there and then, break out the full UAV; but if I need to plan ahead for something I'll stick with a simpler alternative like a surveillance balloon Lets say you've been hired to map out a trade route of some kind between point A. and point B., its more cost effective to use a balloon hooked up with very basic surveillance equipment such as a camera set up to take a pic every two minutes or so during its journey.

With the threat of the UAV being brought down, I'd say just use it for short distances before packing it up. The same i think would apply for most areal vehicles in general; have your helicopter/UAV shipped to an outpost near where ever your heading and set up camp there, if crap hits the fan you can double back to base quick and you can cut down on how long you keep it in the air.