Robot ships and pirates

Does no crew mean no target?

How Pirates Will Adapt To The Future Of Robot Cargo Ships

Kelsey Atherton

What’s the going rate for a human life? Depending on a hostage’s citizenship, their employer, and their personal wealth, the ransom asked for can climb into the millions. Half a million is good money in a country with a per capita annual income of $600. Piracy, so often relegated to history books or theme-park inspired movies, is a real phenomenon. It’s deadly, risky, ancient, and with the advent of completely crewless autonomous ships, might radically change in the future.

Naval patrols are a limited resource, and the oceans are vast. Rather than finding and tracking pirates where they are, future ships could simply deny them their easiest mark: the people on board.

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Source: foxtrotalpha.jalopnik.com