Venezuela President Maduro 'survives drone attack' (opens in new tab)

Hikvision makes a "rifle" product that jams drones (unmanned aerial vehicles). See http://en.hikrobotics.com/uav/uavinfo.htm?type=18&oid=513

Hikvision also sells the drones, and a bunch of other accessories. Scroll down to page 9 of the following PDF: http://oversea-download.hikvision.com/uploadfile/Leaflet/Bro...

I was able to get invited to hikvision's main product showcase/"museum" in China to see all the products that they make - including the above referenced drone jammer...And they do some pretty awesome (and scary!) stuff. I'm sure there are plenty other companies throughout the world which produce similar drone jammer products too. (Its just that this jammer, i actually saw in person.)

There are a few companies working on drone detection and anti-drone technology. I believe Black Sage ([1], based in Boise) provides protection tech for military applications and for venues like sports stadiums.

[1]: https://www.blacksagetech.com/

Using radio spectrum detection methods is probably effective against the script kiddies of the drone world, but to sell the idea that this could defend motivated, funded attackers, operating with murderous intent, feels like The Illusion of Safety and a heaping spoonful of snake oil at best.

Serious combatants will not be using wifi/cellular 4G LTE drones they bought off the shelf at Best Buy. Or, I mean maybe they will be in the picture but as decoys, why not?

The point being, that obviously a kamikaze DJI drone is some simple simon nonsense, and I would not bet my life on a team of corporate product managers selling some agile/scrum developed MVP product line that relies on sniffing for consumer band radio telemetry.

These drones were stopped by snipers, so yes.

EMP blast, nets, lasers, signal jamming - there are a few ideas but nothing full proof.

I've heard of multiple people just shooting then down if they trespass, so there's always guns.

I can't remember the article but I saw on HN a story where law enforcement triangulated a drone operator who was doing something criminal like smuggling. I'm sure that would be just as beneficial for deterrence if the operator knew they would be found.

What a doom and gloom-ish video. I understand that AI is a powerful technology that can be misused, but so just like all other technologies.

This is plain FUD, using popular science fictional dystopia to send some kind of political message. It's trying to appeal to the lower intelligence of people to pretend something bad can happen.

In the end, the military will work on those kinds of techs even if the public doesn't like it.

I am assuming you are talking about countering drones in a civilian, non-war setting. Because drones are no use in a war against any nation with any semblance of an air force at all.

I find it shocking that anyone can defend the government of Venezuela with a straight face. The country is demonstrably worse today than it was before Chavez was elected. 90% of the country now lives in poverty, inflation is likely to reach 1,000,000% this year (not a typo), infant mortality rates are soaring, Caracas has the highest murder rate in the world, and the average Venezuelan lost 11 kilograms in weight during 2017.

The blame for this situation rests solely on the shoulders of the Venezuelan government. They created a house of cards when they nationalized the PDVSA and coupled their entire country to a single commodity. Like all toxic people they wish to blame someone else for their problems, in this case the United States. For those who believe the United States is to blame for all of their problems how do you reconcile the fact that the US is still their largest trading partner. Have you read any of the sanctions that the US has placed on Venezuela? I'll link you to them, each runs about 2 pages each.[0] How do financial sanctions targeted at 7 government officials in 2015 explain a country collapsing in 2013? Does toilet paper production run on time travel?

[0]: https://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/sanctions/Programs/...

I was interested in whatever his point was, and I can see why including some video from the show is helpful since thats whats being referenced. However, it just takes too long for video to convey the info. Just not the right format to keep my attention.

EDIT:

And no, adding more "excitement" to the video is not going to help

Please note the journalist talking in this video is working for a website that's part of a Venezuelan state funded media outlet. It's interesting to get some opposing views, but the truth ous probably somewhere in the middle.

You don't need vast conspiracy of hoarders, wreckers, saboteurs and kulaks to explain John Oliver not caring about getting facts right (on any subject).

Wow! Is this criticism actually real!? Or is this a conspiracy video?

In the past I found John Oliver humorous but I've recently noticed his bias and how he conveniently ignores certain facts in order to make a joke.

I would add that the opposition may fear for their lives and may want to avoid appearing in public near Maduro supporters. MSM tries very hard to make Venezuela appear to be like Russia - a sham democracy.

Yes, it's important to note that the "Right" in Venezuela, aided by the US, is the most likely culprit in these assassination attempts. This is the same "Right" that has a monopoly on certain foodstocks, such as butter and flour and has been stock-piling them, while the US media reports on food shortages as a socialist problem.

I guess it could end up being like the Turkish 'coup attempt' where it's mostly used as an excuse to arrest a lot of people.

The confusion, uncertainty, deeniability, and allegations possible make such attacks, or claims of them, particularly destabilising.

The root of "war" is the German verwirren:

"to confuse, perplex"), from PIE wers- (1) "to confuse, mix up". Cognates suggest the original sense was "to bring into confusion."*

https://www.etymonline.com/word/war

Mission accomplished.

This is what I heard from a friend who is in Venezuela. Your comment is only the 2nd time where I’ve seen mention of the firefighters.

Here in the US all the major newspapers (nyt, wsj, wapo) are going with drone attack because it’s the official statement from the Venezuelan government, but they’re not even mentioning the firefighters, from what I’ve seen.

What’s the real story here?

There's no point to that type of speculation. Maybe got pushed. Maybe he fainted. I was at a concert a couple of weeks ago, and the guy standing in front of me just suddenly fell over backwards unconscious. Things happen. You can't tell from either angle I've seen.

Since we can't see to the soldier's left, it could just as easily be another person nudged him trying to get a better view of what happened.

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