As with any big step forward in technology, I am simultaneously excited and scared. Lockeed Martin’s High Altitude Airship seems like the perfect Big Brother technology[1]. It’s an unmanned craft capable of observing over 600 miles from above 60,000 feet up, unseen to the naked eye. Surveillance seems to be its main job. Hmm.
1.) Comic book fans may remember the same idea from the Watchmen in the 80’s.
Why the crap does Lockheed Martin have a downloadble PDF brochure for this thing? Has the task of promoting these things to decision makers in the armed forces become so tedious (or mundane) that they just post a PDF knowing the right people will download it? Or are they going for an economies of scale approach like a High Altitude Airship is the next big thing in consumer products. (I didn’t download the brochure, but if it has an iPod jack, I am SO there!)