On Tue, 05 Oct 2004 15:59:22 GMT, Short Wave Sportfishing
wrote:
A question I would ask would be: If there is an interfering signal
during a command sequence that interfers with the controller's ability
to sent the appropriate command, do the thrust/engine controllers move
to neutral or so they stay locked on the last command?

There are a host of other questions, but that is the most important
one.

I'd bet anything, they didn't think of that scenario. :)

===============================================

I don't know for sure but I'd bet that they did. There are some
tremendously sophisticated remote control systems on the market these
days, 100 ton travel lifts for example, this docking system for
another, and robotic airplanes. When you are talking about large,
powerful and expensive equipment, reliability and the ability to "fail
safe" have got to be the number one design priorities. It is
relatively easy in the digital age to engineer a communications
protocol that constantly checks on both directions of transmission and
sounds an alarm (stops the equipment) if the link fails for any
reason.