Future Tense

Watch a Drone Sneak Up on a Confused Moose

Moose viewed by drone

Moose vs. machine.

Screenshot / YouTube

Drones can kill terrorists and innocents, they can spy on alleged cattle thieves and help catch rhino poachers, and they can (theoretically) deliver tacos or even the mail. Heretofore underrated, however, has been their potential to thoroughly delight Norwegian hobbyists by allowing them to sneak up on a befuddled moose.

From the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation by way of BoingBoing’s Cory Doctorow comes a video of just that. A Norwegian Broadcasting Company employee and a couple of friends were playing around with a camera-equipped quadrotor drone when it happened upon the moose minding its own business in a stand of trees. As they brought the copter in for a closer look, the unsuspecting beast slowly turned and bestowed on the machine what we can only assume was a look of pure existential moose confusion. But the best part is the hobbyists’ hysterical reaction, which for some reason reminded me of another classic moment of flying-object-with-video-camera joy. Perhaps the Germans can invent a word for this special variety of bliss. Any suggestions, German-speakers?

(Note: As Doctorow’s post points out, the video is best enjoyed with the sound on.)