Protesters in Chile have taken down a police drone by aiming dozens of laser pens at the gadget. Video footage shows the dramatic moment the drone plummets after about 50 lasers were jointly pointed into the sky in Santiago.
The laser action in Chile’s capital was taken after a month of protests has created chaos in the South American nation.
The bringing down of the spy drone has sparked a range of suggestions over how the gadgets were used so successfully.
Interesting Engineering said that among the many theories “floating around social media” was that the lasers were powerful enough to melt the plastic on the drone – particularly if it was cheaply made.
But others have suggested that pointing dozens of lasers at the gadget simultaneously blinded the drone’s camera lens.
Or, it could have made it overheat and malfunction.
When the website posted about the unusual event on Facebook, Luis Rodriguez commented: “Consumer grade lasers could hardly do any damage, except perhaps to the camera sensor.”
But a skeptical Joe Jimearson said: “Those lasers aren’t strong enough to do what the article is claiming… I bet someone threw a rock when it actually fell.”
However, Stanley Balfour suggested: “My guess is the drone’s sensors would’ve been completely confused and it’s done an autoland.”
Zeeshan Shabbir said: “Laser can kill the image sensor of the camera that [the] drone is installed with. Of course, you can’t fly the drone without its camera.”
The drone’s downing comes as riots, arson, and looting have killed more than 20 people, caused extensive damage and prompted President Sebastian Pinera to call soldiers on to the streets.
And news agency the Associated Press reported that protesters are being deliberately blinded by cops firing projectiles into their faces.
Chile’s main medical body says that at least 230 people have lost their sight after being shot in an eye in the last month at demonstrations over inequality and better social services.
Referendum Planned
Activists took to the streets from October 18 as students were angry about a rise in subway fares.
But their action took fire and prompted widespread action, with people protesting about the large gap between the haves and have-nots in Chile.
