Drone (Object Lessons)

Object Lessons is a series of short, beautifully designed books about the hidden lives of ordinary things. Drones are in the newspaper, on the TV screen, swarming through the networks, and soon, we're told, they'll be delivering our shopping. But what are drones? The word encompasses everything from toys to weapons. And yet, as broadly defined as they are, the word “drone” fills many of us with a sense of technological dread. Adam Rothstein cuts through the mystery, the unknown, and the political posturing, and talks about what drones really are: what technologies are out there, and what’s coming next; how drones are talked about, and how they are represented in popular culture. It turns out that drones are not as scary as they appear—but they are more complicated than you might expect. Drones reveal the strange relationships that humans are forming with their new technologies. Object Lesson is published in partnership with an essay series in the The Atlantic. Title Page Copyright Page Contents Introduction Chapter 1 Four Technology Stories The automobile The aircraft The computer The robot Chapter 2 The Military Drone Revolutions in military history Aircraft without pilots Chapter 3 The Commercial Drone (or, the hole where it ought to be) A brief history of multirotors What are commercial drones for? The drone in airspace Chapter 4 Blinking Lights Chapter 5 Software and Hardware The anatomy of the drone Motors Batteries Propellers Sensors Software Controllers/Interface Parts and wholes Ethical components Chapter 6 The Non-Drone Surveillance Algorithms Weapons Robots Chapter 7 What The Drone is For Intended functions Potential functions Unintended functions Chapter 8 The Drone in Discourse The military and the government The FAA Lobbyists Businesses News media Activists Artists The public Chapter 9 Drone Fiction Chapter 10 Our Selves and the Drone Material world Human components From analogy to data Chapter 11 Esthetics of the Drone A specular technology Mediated experience Other sensory input The semiotics of the drone What’s in a name? Chapter 12 The Drone as Meme List of Images Notes Bibliography Index Drones Are In The Newspaper, On The Tv Screen, Swarming Through The Networks, And Soon, We're Told, They'll Be Delivering Our Shopping. But What Are Drones? The Word Encompasses Everything From Toys To Weapons. And Yet, As Broadly Defined As They Are, The Word Drone Fills Many Of Us With A Sense Of Technological Dread. Adam Rothstein Cuts Through The Mystery, The Unknown, And The Political Posturing, And Talks About What Drones Really Are: What Technologies Are Out There, And What's Coming Next; How Drones Are Talked About, And How They Are Represented In Popular Culture.it Turns Out That Drones Are Not As Scary As They Appear-but They Are More Complicated Than You Might Expect. Drones Reveal The Strange Relationships That Humans Are Forming With Their New Technologies-- Publisher. Four Technology Stories -- Military Drone -- Commercial Drone (or, The Hole Where It Ought To Be) -- Blinking Lights -- Software And Hardware -- Non-drone -- What The Drone Is For -- Drone In Discourse -- Drone Fiction -- Our Selves And The Drone -- Esthetics Of The Drone -- Drone As Meme. By Adam Rothstein. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 167-175) And Index. "Object Lessons is a series of short, beautifully designed books about the hidden lives of ordinary things. Drones are in the newspaper, on the TV screen, swarming through the networks, and soon, we're told, they'll be delivering our shopping. But what are drones? The word encompasses everything from toys to weapons. And yet, as broadly defined as they are, the word ?drone? fills many of us with a sense of technological dread. Adam Rothstein cuts through the mystery, the unknown, and the political posturing, and talks about what drones really are: what technologies are out there, and what's coming next; how drones are talked about, and how they are represented in popular culture. It turns out that drones are not as scary as they appear-but they are more complicated than you might expect. Drones reveal the strange relationships that humans are forming with their new technologies. Object Lessons is published in partnership with an essay series in The Atlantic."-- Provided by publisher Introduction -- Chapter One: Four Technology Stories -- Chapter Two: The Military Drone -- Chapter Three: The Commercial Drone (or the hole where it ought to be) -- Chapter Four: Blinking Lights -- Chapter Five: Software and Hardware -- Chapter Six: The Non-Drone -- Chapter Seven: What the Drone is For -- Chapter Eight: The Drone in Discourse -- Chapter Nine: Drone Fiction -- Chapter Ten: Ourselves and the Drone -- Chapter Eleven: Aesthetics of the Drone -- Chapter Twelve: The Drone as Meme -- List of Images -- Bibliography -- Notes