this post was submitted on 08 Feb 2026
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[–] worhui@lemmy.world 118 points 1 month ago (6 children)

This an an absolutely exceptional claim that would put the company decades beyond any tech I have seen. They are claiming remote control of a complicated animal in flight. They also claim it is without training and over distances impossible for a bird as small as a pigeon to carry radio gear.

This is not believable without any evidence.

[–] in_my_honest_opinion@piefed.social 41 points 1 month ago (2 children)

Propaganda mills run 24hrs in time of war. All sectors of industry are often involved.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/How_Propaganda_Works

I absolutely do not believe these claims until they're independently verified

[–] gustofwind@lemmy.world 10 points 1 month ago (1 children)

I’m not sure propaganda has ever been more intense and widespread than it is now with ubiquitous tech addiction

[–] partofthevoice@lemmy.zip 3 points 1 month ago

Pretty sure I saw this one before… something something, wunderwaffen technology.

[–] worhui@lemmy.world 2 points 1 month ago

That is what I was getting out without trying to use the loaded words.

[–] real_squids@sopuli.xyz 7 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (2 children)

according to Forbes Russia and a company statement

duh

edit: as for radio, if it's not required to be realtime it would make a lot of sense to carry sd cards instead, provides lower energy consumption too

[–] OptimusPrimeDownfall@discuss.tchncs.de 4 points 1 month ago (2 children)

You are putting a lot of faith in a people that can't even build a competent tank.

[–] vacuumflower@lemmy.sdf.org 3 points 1 month ago (1 children)

You do, of course, understand that this has nothing in common with building a tank?

You do also understand that (just guessing) if you're from a German instance, then probably everyone of consequence involved in designing military hardware in Russia has better knowledge of their domain area than people analogous to them from German MIC and military? Simply due to experience gained. That does apply to tanks.

Anyway. I don't know if it's real, but you just go and read whose company it is. It might be.

[–] OptimusPrimeDownfall@discuss.tchncs.de 0 points 1 month ago (1 children)

While it as has nothing directly to do with building a tank, the fact that russia can't design and build a tank that doesn't play turret toss when it gets hit with a shell or break down in the middle of a parade DOES have a lot in common with this - it's called brain drain.

Literally all of the smartest young people left Russia because the pay was bad and the prospects for living were better I'm the west.

You say thag everyone of consequence involved in designing military equipment in russia has better knowledge than Germany? Due to what experience, getting their World War 2 era tanks pulled out of the mud by Ukrainian tractors? They can't even build more than a handful of the newest tank and then never send them into war. They haven't fielded new equipment eccept inaccurate artillery shells.

You're wanting to claim a country that experienced that amount of brain drain is can do cutting edge brain surgery?? What, did they lobotomize you first?

[–] vacuumflower@lemmy.sdf.org 1 points 1 month ago (1 children)

the fact that russia can’t design and build a tank that doesn’t play turret toss when it gets hit with a shell or break down in the middle of a parade DOES have a lot in common with this - it’s called brain drain.

Older Soviet tanks play turret toss, you know why? Their automatic loading system is optimized for fire rates, but not safety. You know why that and what that achieves? That achieves a whole lot of tanks built during Soviet times for mass ground warfare in the WWIII as it was imagined then. When it's one safer NATO tank against 5 worse but comparable (and fast-firing) Soviet tanks for the same expense, the choice (with Soviet doctrine) is obvious.

There was no brain drain then, these were all conscious design decisions making a difference of the scale of hundreds of tanks built.

Literally all of the smartest young people left Russia because the pay was bad and the prospects for living were better I’m the west.

Unfortunately no.

You say thag everyone of consequence involved in designing military equipment in russia has better knowledge than Germany? Due to what experience, getting their World War 2 era tanks pulled out of the mud by Ukrainian tractors?

You are a few years late even in talking about tanks.

That's also something most Russians have passively understood by now about modern warfare, it's all about information, planning, coordination done by many small drones, with humans reduced to techs and operators and, of course, small assault groups. Tanks have no place in that.

You’re wanting to claim a country that experienced that amount of brain drain is can do cutting edge brain surgery??

Brain drain is something that was happening when plenty of Soviet-educated engineers and scientists simply had no place in ex-Soviet countries, or by any measure the offers they could get were far better in the West. Right now there's no coordinated incentive for said brain drain from the western governments. Which was a thing then.

Right now - yes, I think oil money that buys western components for weapons can buy expertise in areas of interest.

[–] OptimusPrimeDownfall@discuss.tchncs.de 1 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Their automatic loading system is optimized for fire rates, but not safety.

The autoloader can fire every 10 seconds. An Abrams crew can fire.. Every 4. NATO tanks are faster.

More Russian tanks also only matter if they ARE comparable. But they're not. For example, the "new engine" is an old Nazi design that was, and is still, famous for breaking down. They use thermal sights! Left over from the French.

Russians die AND they're slower. All glory to the motherland.

There was no brain drain then

You should look up what brain drain means.

Unfortunately no.

Fortunately for them yes? At least they're not dying in ukraine with sunflower seeds in their pockets.

Russians have passively understood by now about modern warfare, it's all about information, planning, coordination

Right!! That's why the invasion of ukraine was so quick! Plan for three days, the planning and coordination they passively understand means it's... Still going. 4 years later.

Tanks have no place in that.

It's a darn good thing, too, since Russia has only built what, 30 T14s since 2015? Can't rely on something you can't build!

And you're right. Tanks have no place in modern warfare. That's why Russia saber rattles so hard when western nations give or sell tanks to Ukraine, because they're just so useless.

I think oil money that buys western components for weapons can buy expertise in areas of interest.

True!! If only they would stop putting that foreigner expertise straight onto the front lines. What a waste.

[–] vacuumflower@lemmy.sdf.org 1 points 1 month ago

It's as if you weren't reading what I'm saying.

That aside, roasted sunflower seeds are nice, it's the stereotype of young pigs littering their shells in, eh, every public place where they are consumed, that's a negative one.

Also roasted sunflower seeds are a product of Ukraine and south of Russia mostly, so the stereotype is as suited for Ukrainians as for Russians, perhaps more.

[–] real_squids@sopuli.xyz 2 points 1 month ago

I know I'm just theorizing

[–] worhui@lemmy.world 0 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

This is a remote control situation. The bird would do bird things once out of a control signal. They aren't claiming full override and programming. I could easily see strapping a camera to a pigeon and training it. Maybe even remotely monitoring it and using a pre-trained electrical pulse to change direction.

These claims are beyond that. This is possibly the equivalent of scientist cures cancer where a reported misunderstands what is actually being presented.

[–] real_squids@sopuli.xyz 0 points 1 month ago

yea true, they did mention preloading flight paths, so it might be radio-less (apart from gps ig)

[–] moonshadow@slrpnk.net 3 points 1 month ago

If it's like the bug experiments, they aren't controlling its muscles granularly but guiding the whole critter through pain/aversion. Going left hurts, bird goes right type deal

[–] sqgl@sh.itjust.works 1 points 1 month ago (13 children)

Indeed "thousands of km" is far fetched:

some of which are expected to be sent thousands of kilometers away while others remain in Moscow for further trials.

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[–] Soulphite@reddthat.com 54 points 1 month ago (2 children)

Those guys at Birds Aren't Real are having a "told you so!" moment right now.

[–] IratePirate@feddit.org 7 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Came for this, left satisfied.

[–] 6stringringer@lemmy.zip 1 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

Feeling like I drove up, didn’t even need to roll down the window and ask, I got myself a glimpse of the details & circled on out.

[–] XLE@piefed.social 1 points 1 month ago

Birds Aren't Real Guy is probably getting a second pump-and-dump scam going right this very moment...

[–] ToTheGraveMyLove@sh.itjust.works 20 points 1 month ago (1 children)

The company plans to use the biodrones for extended monitoring of power transmission lines, gas distribution nodes and other infrastructure, as well as for environmental surveys, industrial inspections, search-and-rescue missions and additional security monitoring

Sure thing buddy. We all know what these are actually for you colossal piece of shit.

If it's actually true and not the usual Russian bullshit they can only back up with bots.

[–] voidsignal@lemmy.world 12 points 1 month ago

Then tomorrow they'll invent teleportation during lunch break. Russia is such an advanced state, and defintely not shithole running out a cash propaganda machine governed by a stupid afraid-of-death human stain

[–] Etterra@discuss.online 10 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

I can't wait until news comes out about cats or hawks killing and eating them.

[–] shyguyblue@lemmy.world 8 points 1 month ago

Dudes' been playing Fallout show...

[–] Ninjascubarex@lemmy.zip 6 points 1 month ago (1 children)
[–] in_my_honest_opinion@piefed.social 7 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

From the article

The rat has already correctly answered hundreds of scientific questions - about quasars, myelin shells, Python and Albert Einstein's birthday. The experiment continues every day, the number of rats with a neural interface is also growing.

Pile it High and Deep PHD work.

[–] MrFappy@lemmy.world 5 points 1 month ago (1 children)

This will lead to unintended consequences of Russian citizens killing any bird they see, which will mirror the Chinese famine from years ago where they did the same, but that led to an increase of crop killing insects which led to widespread famine.

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[–] SaveTheTuaHawk@lemmy.ca 5 points 1 month ago

"first", LOL...wake up sheeple, birds aren't real.

[–] yesman@lemmy.world 4 points 1 month ago
[–] bleistift2@sopuli.xyz 3 points 1 month ago

I would like to go back to the times when I could easily tell a joke from reality. To go, please.

[–] DeathsEmbrace@lemmy.world 2 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

Stop these bots. Show me something concrete. No actual showcases or even knowledge behind this means its just words.

[–] Sims@lemmy.ml 2 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Ha ha, I can't believe anyone would still peddle this dumb propaganda nonsense :-) Come on OP, can we move on from that embarrassing con-job already ?

[–] sqgl@sh.itjust.works 4 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

Upon reflection, I agree it is probably just propaganda. Should I leave the post up though?

The top comment here is making valid points casting doubt on its veracity. Isn't that a good thing?

[–] Bazell@lemmy.zip 1 points 1 month ago

Yeah, yeah. Most likely just a wireless camera glued to a bird.

[–] rizzothesmall@sh.itjust.works 1 points 1 month ago

Bull - and what's more - shit

[–] MedicPigBabySaver@lemmy.world 1 points 1 month ago
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