Best Defense

Thomas E. Ricks' daily take on national security.

The future is here: Drones, kids, and more

As I was lazing on a beach in steamy Puerto Rico on Sunday afternoon, a toy drone zoomed over the sands and then hovered at the end of the beach.

Walkera_QR_X350_Quadcopter_Hovering
Walkera_QR_X350_Quadcopter_Hovering

As I was lazing on a beach in steamy Puerto Rico on Sunday afternoon, a toy drone zoomed over the sands and then hovered at the end of the beach. I am guessing the operator was a teenage boy, that the drone had a camera, and that the hover point was over a sunbathing beach babe.

As I was lazing on a beach in steamy Puerto Rico on Sunday afternoon, a toy drone zoomed over the sands and then hovered at the end of the beach. I am guessing the operator was a teenage boy, that the drone had a camera, and that the hover point was over a sunbathing beach babe.

It made me think that the drone-laden military is going to have a hard time keeping up with kids who grow up goofing around drones.

Speaking of which, I saw a drone graffiti machine discussed the other day. And, “Coming soon,” the site promised, a flamethrower addition — just what the firebug in your life needs.

Wikimedia Commons

Thomas E. Ricks covered the U.S. military from 1991 to 2008 for the Wall Street Journal and then the Washington Post. He can be reached at ricksblogcomment@gmail.com. Twitter: @tomricks1

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