Ask HN: How could military drones visually identify specific targets (enemies)?

#1

Post by Jeibros » Sat, May 06, 2023, 3:15 PM UTC

I'm seeing these days news about YOLO object detection platform trained with deep-learning. If this is the SOTA of the technology, how could a military drone detect a target autonomously? I mean, how could it differ enemies among civilians, or identify a specific person?

I do believe that autonomously drones will just make kill chain faster, but human intervention will be necessary for ages yet, and cannot imagine how an visual algorithm could differ between a Russian or an Ukranian soldier, for instance.

Re: Ask HN: How could military drones visually identify specific targets (enemies)?

#2

Post by PaulHoule » Sat, May 06, 2023, 3:17 PM UTC

Please note that this is by no means a new situation, this weapon

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CBU-97_Sensor_Fuzed_Weapon

contained submunitions that autonomously target tanks, and visual + radar target recognition was a feature in both the Pershing 2 and Tomahawk missiles.

Re: Ask HN: How could military drones visually identify specific targets (enemies)?

#3

Post by Jeibros » Sat, May 06, 2023, 3:22 PM UTC

PaulHoule wrote: post #2

Please note that this is by no means a new situation, this weapon https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CBU-97_Sensor_Fuzed_Weapon contained submunitions that autonomously target tanks, and visual + radar target recognition was a feature in both the Pershing 2 and Tomahawk missiles.

OK, but I was thinking about artificial vision algorithms. How can you differ one tank from the other? I'm aware of self-guiding weapons oriented through infrared or radar. The afraid of people is that a drone specifically choose anyone from a big multitude, isn't it? How dare could happen just with visual help?

Re: Ask HN: How could military drones visually identify specific targets (enemies)?

#4

Post by rolph » Sat, May 06, 2023, 3:54 PM UTC

it isnt just visual guidance. meta data, and geolocation statistics, are quickly analyzed to whittle down all other possibilities, until visual targeting takes over.

Re: Ask HN: How could military drones visually identify specific targets (enemies)?

#5

Post by abudabi123 » Sat, May 06, 2023, 4:09 PM UTC

> How can you differ one tank from the other?

Multipoint sensor fusion contains track-data the autonomy calculates a level of confidence to decide friend from foe in the battlespace? The hole in that idea is the fog of war situation where the vehicle is unable to receive the world update to confidently interpret the moving parts onboard sensors perceive.

Re: Ask HN: How could military drones visually identify specific targets (enemies)?

#6

Post by Jeibros » Sat, May 06, 2023, 4:53 PM UTC

rolph wrote: post #4

it isnt just visual guidance. meta data, and geolocation statistics, are quickly analyzed to whittle down all other possibilities, until visual targeting takes over.

i think that NATO countries are responsible for all their operations.

I also remember that in 2021, a UN report stated that a Turkish drone had killed autonomously to a victim in Libya. However, the company told it was impossible [0]

[0] https://ahvalnews.com/turkish-drone/turkish-defence-company-...

Re: Ask HN: How could military drones visually identify specific targets (enemies)?

#7

Post by Jeibros » Sat, May 06, 2023, 4:54 PM UTC

abudabi123 wrote: post #5

> How can you differ one tank from the other? Multipoint sensor fusion contains track-data the autonomy calculates a level of confidence to decide friend from foe in the battlespace? The hole in that idea is the fog of war situation where the vehicle is unable to receive the world update to confidently interpret the moving parts onboard sensors perceive.

is technology now (Ukraine war, ie) mature enough to be able to do that?