https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/api.php?action=feedcontributions&feedformat=atom&user=Bifkoningexplain xkcd - User contributions [en]2026-05-02T07:30:12ZUser contributionsMediaWiki 1.30.0https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1523:_Microdrones&diff=931001523: Microdrones2015-05-11T18:08:41Z<p>Bifkoning: /* Explanation */</p>
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<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 1523<br />
| date = May 11, 2015<br />
| title = Microdrones<br />
| image = microdrones.png<br />
| titletext = Oh, weird, Amazon is out of butterfly nets.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
[[File:PrimeAir200.png|frame|right|A drone from the Amazon Prime Air project|link=http://www.amazon.com/b?node=8037720011]]<br />
<br />
{{w|Amazon Prime Air}} is a conceptual drone-based delivery system currently in development by Amazon.com. While on one level he thinks the idea is cool, [[Cueball]] worries about living in an sci-fi dystopia, with those drones flying all around him, tracking his actions, etc. In the third panel, [[Megan]] suggests to send a message to Congress, suggesting a law for making the stealing of drones legal. This would alleviate the problem of drones flying around everywhere because people would catch them to use for themselves.<br />
<br />
This tactic may not work as well as planned; drones will likely simply fly higher or employ other security measures since there are no regulations on drone behavior.<br />
<br />
The title text suggests that Amazon is out of stock of butterfly nets due to everyone purchasing them to catch drones with, or it could be that Amazon doesn't want people stealing its own drones, so the nets are just suspiciously "unavailable". Alternatively, the title text could be interpreted to mean that the drones have already become self aware, and are incorrectly listing the nets as out of stock to prevent their capture.<br />
<br />
The 'sci-fi dystopia' [[Cueball]] is talking about, might be a reference to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vulcan's_Hammer P.K Dick's 'Vulcan's Hammer'], in which the earth in the year 2029 is surrounded by black flying hammers all around humanity.<br />
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==Transcript==<br />
:[Cueball is standing behind Megan who sits at a desk typing on her laptop.]<br />
:Cueball: So how do we regulate all these micro drones?<br />
:Cueball: I mean, Amazon delivery bots sound cool...<br />
<br />
:[Cueball stands alone surrounded by three micro drones.]<br />
:Cueball: But I worry that overnight we'll realize we're surrounded by these things, no one will know who's controlling them, and then ''bam'', sci-fi dystopia.<br />
<br />
:[Megan turns in her chair towards Cueball.]<br />
:Megan: If you wanna slow it down, why not just remove all regulations, but then make drone theft legal?<br />
<br />
:[Cueball takes his hand to his chin and Megan turns back to type on the laptop.]<br />
:Cueball: ...I ''like'' that.<br />
:Megan: You write to congress.<br />
:Megan: I'll stock up on butterfly nets.<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
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[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]</div>Bifkoning