Matt Bennett-Blacklock
@t3hbb.bsky.social
Drones, UAS and C-UAS, tech, electronics, radio, embedded, science and engineering. Occasional amateur astronomy stuff.
Reposted by Matt Bennett-Blacklock
A Google software engineer won his battle against MetLife to receive disability benefits for Long Covid.
This is huge
Long Covid has a lot of stigma attached to it and it can be hard to get disability.
You’re told to “try harder”.
It’s “not that bad”.
You can “still work”.
Not everyone can
This is huge
Long Covid has a lot of stigma attached to it and it can be hard to get disability.
You’re told to “try harder”.
It’s “not that bad”.
You can “still work”.
Not everyone can
MetLife Owes Disability Pay to Software Engineer With Long Covid
A Google LLC software engineer suffering from long Covid won his lawsuit seeking long-term disability benefits from Metropolitan Life Insurance Co.
news.bloomberglaw.com
November 28, 2025 at 8:45 PM
A Google software engineer won his battle against MetLife to receive disability benefits for Long Covid.
This is huge
Long Covid has a lot of stigma attached to it and it can be hard to get disability.
You’re told to “try harder”.
It’s “not that bad”.
You can “still work”.
Not everyone can
This is huge
Long Covid has a lot of stigma attached to it and it can be hard to get disability.
You’re told to “try harder”.
It’s “not that bad”.
You can “still work”.
Not everyone can
Reposted by Matt Bennett-Blacklock
Today's lovely "blue marble" shot of the eastern Pacific, as received and processed with my own ground station in Vancouver via 1.7 GHz radio signal from GOES-18 at 137 W. Taken at 2100 UTC / 1 PM PST, around solar noon for the satellite.
@spann.bsky.social @seattlewxguy.bsky.social
@spann.bsky.social @seattlewxguy.bsky.social
November 28, 2025 at 10:56 PM
Today's lovely "blue marble" shot of the eastern Pacific, as received and processed with my own ground station in Vancouver via 1.7 GHz radio signal from GOES-18 at 137 W. Taken at 2100 UTC / 1 PM PST, around solar noon for the satellite.
@spann.bsky.social @seattlewxguy.bsky.social
@spann.bsky.social @seattlewxguy.bsky.social
Reposted by Matt Bennett-Blacklock
Ukraine and Britain signed a license agreement for the Octopus interceptor drone.
Ukraine's Ministry of Defense noted, mass production of interceptors is planned, saying it could reach several thousand per month.
Ukraine's Ministry of Defense noted, mass production of interceptors is planned, saying it could reach several thousand per month.
November 27, 2025 at 8:23 AM
Ukraine and Britain signed a license agreement for the Octopus interceptor drone.
Ukraine's Ministry of Defense noted, mass production of interceptors is planned, saying it could reach several thousand per month.
Ukraine's Ministry of Defense noted, mass production of interceptors is planned, saying it could reach several thousand per month.
Reposted by Matt Bennett-Blacklock
❗️Ukrainian Octopus interceptor drones will now be produced in the UK.
Yes - mass production. Yes- thousands every month.
Shmyhal confirmed: these drones will be sent directly to Ukraine to shield our skies.
Yes - mass production. Yes- thousands every month.
Shmyhal confirmed: these drones will be sent directly to Ukraine to shield our skies.
November 27, 2025 at 8:28 AM
❗️Ukrainian Octopus interceptor drones will now be produced in the UK.
Yes - mass production. Yes- thousands every month.
Shmyhal confirmed: these drones will be sent directly to Ukraine to shield our skies.
Yes - mass production. Yes- thousands every month.
Shmyhal confirmed: these drones will be sent directly to Ukraine to shield our skies.
So justice is too expensive?
Jury trials in England and Wales to be scrapped except for most serious cases on.ft.com/3LY1Ceq
Jury trials in England and Wales to be scrapped except for most serious cases
Proposed changes unlikely to apply for trials of serious offences such as rape and murder
on.ft.com
November 25, 2025 at 3:45 PM
So justice is too expensive?
Reposted by Matt Bennett-Blacklock
Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces (SBS) released new footage of FP-2 strike drone attacks targeting Russian military-linked infrastructure in occupied Crimea:
• Krasnoperekopsk, “BROM” chemical plant
• Krasnoperekopsk Substation
• Multiple energy infrastructure sites
• Krasnoperekopsk, “BROM” chemical plant
• Krasnoperekopsk Substation
• Multiple energy infrastructure sites
November 23, 2025 at 4:57 PM
Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces (SBS) released new footage of FP-2 strike drone attacks targeting Russian military-linked infrastructure in occupied Crimea:
• Krasnoperekopsk, “BROM” chemical plant
• Krasnoperekopsk Substation
• Multiple energy infrastructure sites
• Krasnoperekopsk, “BROM” chemical plant
• Krasnoperekopsk Substation
• Multiple energy infrastructure sites
Please note in particular “emotion captures attention more readily than reason”. Traditional politics struggles with this.
We live in an age where there's a glut of information and scarcity of attention, mediated through platforms that prioritise engagement over accuracy, and emotion captures attention more readily than reason.
This chart (which applies even more to social media than it did to TV) lives in my head rent free.
Social media enveloping traditional media means everything and everyone is now competing in the entertainment market. Boring stuff like policy that affects millions of lives doesn’t stand a chance.
Social media enveloping traditional media means everything and everyone is now competing in the entertainment market. Boring stuff like policy that affects millions of lives doesn’t stand a chance.
November 23, 2025 at 10:25 PM
Please note in particular “emotion captures attention more readily than reason”. Traditional politics struggles with this.
Amazingly hard to hit a medium sized attack drone with the automatic weapons it sounds like they’re using in this video.
3/
Shatura, Moskovskaya oblast (Moscow region)
Ukraine's drone pilots manoeuvre into position despite furious air defence rounds.
videos from Exilenova+
Shatura, Moskovskaya oblast (Moscow region)
Ukraine's drone pilots manoeuvre into position despite furious air defence rounds.
videos from Exilenova+
November 23, 2025 at 11:00 AM
Amazingly hard to hit a medium sized attack drone with the automatic weapons it sounds like they’re using in this video.
Reposted by Matt Bennett-Blacklock
Like FPV drones taking down Russian helicopters was not enough, the Ukrainian SOF have taken it even further.
For the first time in history, a Russian military Mi-8 helicopter has been shot down by a guided deep-strike drone FP-1. 200km from the frontline, Kuteinikovo Rostov region of Russia.
For the first time in history, a Russian military Mi-8 helicopter has been shot down by a guided deep-strike drone FP-1. 200km from the frontline, Kuteinikovo Rostov region of Russia.
November 22, 2025 at 3:30 PM
Like FPV drones taking down Russian helicopters was not enough, the Ukrainian SOF have taken it even further.
For the first time in history, a Russian military Mi-8 helicopter has been shot down by a guided deep-strike drone FP-1. 200km from the frontline, Kuteinikovo Rostov region of Russia.
For the first time in history, a Russian military Mi-8 helicopter has been shot down by a guided deep-strike drone FP-1. 200km from the frontline, Kuteinikovo Rostov region of Russia.
Reposted by Matt Bennett-Blacklock
The Guardian points out that the document Trump is forcing Ukraine to sign was highly likely to have been written in Russian by a Russian. Then translated in a way not natural for a native English speaker.
Agent Orange is literally on the verge of doing Putin's work and killing a free nation.
Agent Orange is literally on the verge of doing Putin's work and killing a free nation.
November 21, 2025 at 3:34 PM
The Guardian points out that the document Trump is forcing Ukraine to sign was highly likely to have been written in Russian by a Russian. Then translated in a way not natural for a native English speaker.
Agent Orange is literally on the verge of doing Putin's work and killing a free nation.
Agent Orange is literally on the verge of doing Putin's work and killing a free nation.
Reposted by Matt Bennett-Blacklock
All the rape, torture, and murder will be brushed under the carpet, a great lesson for any future war criminals.
November 21, 2025 at 7:08 AM
All the rape, torture, and murder will be brushed under the carpet, a great lesson for any future war criminals.
Reposted by Matt Bennett-Blacklock
Due to the rapid increase in the use of fiber-optic FPVs on the battlefield, “anti-drone nets” will soon start appearing on their own.
November 20, 2025 at 6:09 PM
Due to the rapid increase in the use of fiber-optic FPVs on the battlefield, “anti-drone nets” will soon start appearing on their own.
Reposted by Matt Bennett-Blacklock
🇺🇦 Shmyhal announced the scaling up of the production of anti-drone cartridges.
MoD codified cartridges from several Ukrainian manufacturers, they are ready for mass production.
Anti-drone cartridges feature is a special warhead, which significantly increases the chance of shooting down a drone.
MoD codified cartridges from several Ukrainian manufacturers, they are ready for mass production.
Anti-drone cartridges feature is a special warhead, which significantly increases the chance of shooting down a drone.
November 20, 2025 at 11:36 AM
🇺🇦 Shmyhal announced the scaling up of the production of anti-drone cartridges.
MoD codified cartridges from several Ukrainian manufacturers, they are ready for mass production.
Anti-drone cartridges feature is a special warhead, which significantly increases the chance of shooting down a drone.
MoD codified cartridges from several Ukrainian manufacturers, they are ready for mass production.
Anti-drone cartridges feature is a special warhead, which significantly increases the chance of shooting down a drone.
Worth listening to the audio on this
Video from yesterday’s massive attack — a Ukrainian F-16 hunts down a Russian X-101 missile.
November 20, 2025 at 10:35 AM
Worth listening to the audio on this
Reposted by Matt Bennett-Blacklock
Costly missiles versus cheap drones makes for a great headline, but it misses the point. Cost-per-effect depends on everything that makes a shot possible.
The Hidden Cost of a Missile: Why the Headlines Get Cost Wrong
Since late 2023, the U.S. Navy has fired nearly $1 billion worth of munitions to protect ships in the Red Sea from low-cost Houthi drones and missiles.
warontherocks.com
November 19, 2025 at 11:00 PM
Costly missiles versus cheap drones makes for a great headline, but it misses the point. Cost-per-effect depends on everything that makes a shot possible.
Reposted by Matt Bennett-Blacklock
Photos from inside the Suspilne building in Dnipro after the russian attack.
Last night, Russia struck the city with 35 Shahed attack drones. The Suspilne Dnipro branch and Ukrainian Radio Dnipro were damaged. These are journalists offices...
Last night, Russia struck the city with 35 Shahed attack drones. The Suspilne Dnipro branch and Ukrainian Radio Dnipro were damaged. These are journalists offices...
November 18, 2025 at 4:50 PM
Photos from inside the Suspilne building in Dnipro after the russian attack.
Last night, Russia struck the city with 35 Shahed attack drones. The Suspilne Dnipro branch and Ukrainian Radio Dnipro were damaged. These are journalists offices...
Last night, Russia struck the city with 35 Shahed attack drones. The Suspilne Dnipro branch and Ukrainian Radio Dnipro were damaged. These are journalists offices...
Reposted by Matt Bennett-Blacklock
Hypnotising view of Paranal!
Yet the sky is not revolving around the tip of an Auxiliary Telescope. The illusion is caused by the alignment with the southern celestial pole, around which stars seem to trail due to Earth's rotation.
https://www.eso.org/public/images/potw2546a
🔭 🧪
📷 O. Castillo/ESO
Yet the sky is not revolving around the tip of an Auxiliary Telescope. The illusion is caused by the alignment with the southern celestial pole, around which stars seem to trail due to Earth's rotation.
https://www.eso.org/public/images/potw2546a
🔭 🧪
📷 O. Castillo/ESO
November 17, 2025 at 8:04 AM
Hypnotising view of Paranal!
Yet the sky is not revolving around the tip of an Auxiliary Telescope. The illusion is caused by the alignment with the southern celestial pole, around which stars seem to trail due to Earth's rotation.
https://www.eso.org/public/images/potw2546a
🔭 🧪
📷 O. Castillo/ESO
Yet the sky is not revolving around the tip of an Auxiliary Telescope. The illusion is caused by the alignment with the southern celestial pole, around which stars seem to trail due to Earth's rotation.
https://www.eso.org/public/images/potw2546a
🔭 🧪
📷 O. Castillo/ESO
Is NATO training for last war?
"Everything has changed with drones. And I don't think it was factored in, at least not in this training"
"Everything has changed with drones. And I don't think it was factored in, at least not in this training"
How to fight in ‘hell’: Ukraine veterans say Nato not ready for war with Russia
How to fight in ‘hell’: Ukraine veterans say Nato not ready for war with Russia
How to fight in ‘hell’: Ukraine veterans say Nato not ready for war with Russia
www.independent.co.uk
November 15, 2025 at 10:00 AM
Is NATO training for last war?
"Everything has changed with drones. And I don't think it was factored in, at least not in this training"
"Everything has changed with drones. And I don't think it was factored in, at least not in this training"
Reposted by Matt Bennett-Blacklock
💥 Footage shows an FPV drone attacking a cell tower in the Belgorod region, Novaya Tavolzhanka.
November 13, 2025 at 8:07 PM
💥 Footage shows an FPV drone attacking a cell tower in the Belgorod region, Novaya Tavolzhanka.
Reposted by Matt Bennett-Blacklock
Important to understand the Epstein stuff and the fascism and the corruption are, in a lot of ways, really all the same story from different angles: powerful men who can and do abuse vulnerable people around them because they can, and because systems of elite accountability catastrophically failed
November 12, 2025 at 9:14 PM
Important to understand the Epstein stuff and the fascism and the corruption are, in a lot of ways, really all the same story from different angles: powerful men who can and do abuse vulnerable people around them because they can, and because systems of elite accountability catastrophically failed
Reposted by Matt Bennett-Blacklock
Looks like dogfights are back on the menu 😎
Super Tucano was always going to be a natural for anti-drone work. In addition to the other systems involved, the decision to incorporate wing mounted .50 cal. guns in the original ST design is looking like a very good idea right now....
defence-blog.com/embraer-to-c...
defence-blog.com/embraer-to-c...
November 12, 2025 at 1:55 PM
Looks like dogfights are back on the menu 😎
Reposted by Matt Bennett-Blacklock
Following the power plant shutdown, due to massive 🇷🇺 strikes on #Ukraine, some days ago, an old diesel locomotive pulled a modern 🇺🇦 high-speed train
This is how Intercity trains were operating in regions without a stable power supply. The speed, 50 km/h.
@skyoverukraine
This is how Intercity trains were operating in regions without a stable power supply. The speed, 50 km/h.
@skyoverukraine
November 11, 2025 at 3:43 PM
Following the power plant shutdown, due to massive 🇷🇺 strikes on #Ukraine, some days ago, an old diesel locomotive pulled a modern 🇺🇦 high-speed train
This is how Intercity trains were operating in regions without a stable power supply. The speed, 50 km/h.
@skyoverukraine
This is how Intercity trains were operating in regions without a stable power supply. The speed, 50 km/h.
@skyoverukraine
Reposted by Matt Bennett-Blacklock
1/ The US Government has quietly removed a memorial to Black soldiers who died in World War II from the Netherlands American Cemetery in Margraten, South Limburg. The move follows a complaint from the right-wing Heritage Foundation to the American Battle Monuments Commission. ⬇️
November 9, 2025 at 9:23 AM
1/ The US Government has quietly removed a memorial to Black soldiers who died in World War II from the Netherlands American Cemetery in Margraten, South Limburg. The move follows a complaint from the right-wing Heritage Foundation to the American Battle Monuments Commission. ⬇️
Reposted by Matt Bennett-Blacklock
Uncrewed Boats Controlled From 500 Miles Escort UK Warships in Landmark Test thedefensepost-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/thedefen...
Uncrewed Boats Controlled From 500 Miles Escort UK Warships in Landmark Test
A fleet of uncrewed boats proved they can operate hundreds of miles from their human controllers, escorting warships in a 72-hour trial.
thedefensepost-com.cdn.ampproject.org
November 9, 2025 at 3:23 PM
Uncrewed Boats Controlled From 500 Miles Escort UK Warships in Landmark Test thedefensepost-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/thedefen...