Technology is rapidly advancing providing humans with easier and more efficient ways of completing tasks. One form of technology that is primarily being used by the military is an unmanned aircraft (UAV). UAV technology can play an important role in benefiting the civilian world. This technology will make many tasks currently performed by humans more capable and extensive.
What is an Unmanned Aircraft (UAV)?
An unmanned aircraft is a plane that is flown without the use of a crew or pilot. Instead, the unmanned aircraft is piloted by hardware, software, and a person or people from the ground. The technical definition of “an 'unmanned aerial vehicle' is a powered aircraft that does not carry a human operator, uses aerodynamic forces to provide lift, can fly autonomously (by an onboard computer) and/or be piloted remotely (by radio control), and can be recovered for repeated flights. It is an aerial robot. Airships, aerostats, balloons, ballistic and semiballistic missiles, cruise missiles, artillery projectiles, tethered/wire guided aircraft/missiles, and other one-flight, expendable objects are not considered unmanned aircraft” (Lewis). An unmanned aircraft (UA) is also known as an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), unmanned aircraft system (UAS), drone, remotely piloted vehicle (RPV), remotely operated aircraft (ROA), or remotely piloted aircraft (RPA).
History of UAVs
The technology used for unmanned aircraft dates back to 1863 during the Civil War. This technology, invented by Charles Perley, was an unmanned aerial bomber. Specifically, the bomber was a hot-air balloon that could drop explosives. Perley’s invention proved to be imprecise and hazardous but both the Union and Confederate forces are said to have launched them (K...
... middle of paper ...
...ov/centers/dryden/pdf/111761main_UAV_Capabilities_Assessment.pdf>.
Koldaev, Alexander V. "NON-MILITARY UAV APPLICATIONS." Feb 2007. Web. 3 Dec 2009. .
Krock, Lexi. "Time Line of UAVs." NOVA Science Programming on Air and Online. Nov 2002. PBS, Web. 19 Nov 2009. .
Hanlon, Mike. "Yamaha's RMAX - the worlds most advanced non-military UAV." gizmag 19 Nov 2004: n. pag. Web. 19 Nov 2009. .
Lewis, Pete. "Librarian's Desk (FAQ)." UAV Forum. SRA International, Inc., Web. 19 Nov 2009. .
Wise, Jeff. “Civilian UAVs: No Pilot, No Problem.” Popular Mechanics. April 2007. 18 November 2009 .
Drones and UAVs are remote control vehicles that need no pilot, instead they use a signal coming from a machine that someone is controlling. Although that is not always been the case for drones, the technology in its primitive stage was available during the late 1800’s. It was seen during the civil war in the form of hot air balloons and both north and south possessed a way to create the machines. They contained a timed mechanism that would release an explosive when the time was over, this seemed very clever, but at the time it was not very effective. Years passed and the Wright brothers and created the airplane in the early 1900’s, and they did needed pilots. The concept of airplanes was moved to the next level when in the 1930’s Britain Royal Navy created one of the first UAVs. This particular UAV was know as “The Queen Bee’’. This particular model was driven by what is said to be a radio signal. Much later Drones became much more complex and that is because years of technological advances were added to old models that were being produced in late 1900’s. Today, ...
What is a UAV? For people who don’t know, it stands for “Unmanned Aerial Vehicle”. It’s also called a drone. What is a drone? Well, it is an unmanned aircraft that is guided by a remote. You may think they are fun to use and they’re not harmful. Well, you guessed wrong. There are many dangers with using this. For example, crashes with planes, cars, and other drones in the area. But, they could be used for some helpful things, like drone delivery and for getting to hard to reach regions after a natural disaster to deliver food and water.
10 years, with the rise of computer technology, the UAV’s largest debut has been in
A. According to an article I read by Paul Scharre entitled “Do Drones Have A Future?”, the technology in these planes is becoming so advanced, that one day we may be able to have one pilot controlling multiple aircraft at once.
Navy introduced the first unmanned helicopter with a combat role. Approximately 800 DASH (QH-50) submarine hunters armed with torpedoes and depth charges were remotely flown from the decks of destroyers in search of enemy submarines. Since that time aircraft manufacturers have either modified existing aircraft to fly unmanned or started from scratch to build unique solutions to a specific mission.
“FALL BACK!” The soldier, pinned down in Afghanistan, has no way out. He looks back to his fellow Marines, a terrorized look on his face. The enemy approaches, and he can’t move. As if by a miracle, the incoming terrorists are quickly neutralized by an overhead drone, saving the soldier's life and allowing him to return back to his comrades. This, an example of one of the many uses of drones today, serves to show how much of an impact drones can have. A drone, or UAV, is a pilotless craft that is controlled by a remote (“Drone” 2015). As technology advances, the use of drones becomes progressively more prominent. Drones, an extremely useful tool, have a multitude of uses.
The military use of lethally autonomous robots (LAR) is not science fiction – it is happening right now. A robot is a mechanism guided by automatic controls. Autonomous robots are able to independently maintain stability and plan action. The first generation of military robots have operated under direct human control. The most well-known military robots are “drones” or unmanned aerial vehicles. The drone system currently in use is the unmanned aerial vehicles IAI Pioneer & RQ-1 Predator which can be armed with air-to-ground missiles and remotely operated from a command center. Drones have already been used by the U.S. military for unmanned air attacks in Afghanistan, Pakistan and other war zones. (Merchant, 276).
Sifton, John. "A Brief History of Drones | The Nation." A Brief History of Drones. N.p., n.d.
Drones are very useful tools because the U.S. law enforcement's and the U.S. military’s use of them, they also deliver items faster and safer them humans, and drones are a fun activity for all ages.
Automatic flight involves multiple levels of priority. UAVs can be programmed to perform aggressive maneuvers or landing/perching on inclined surfaces, and then to climb toward better communication spots. Some UAVs can control flight with varying flight modelisation, such as VTOL designs(Fig 5.).5
One of the latest and most controversial topics that has risen over the past five to ten years is whether or not drones should be used as a means of war, surveillance, and delivery systems. Common misconceptions usually lead to people’s opposition to the use of drones; which is the reason it is important for people to know the facts about how and why they are used. Wartime capabilities will provide for less casualties and more effective strikes. New delivery and surveillance systems in Africa, the United Air Emirates and the United States will cut costs and increase efficiency across the board. Rules and regulations on drones may be difficult to enforce, but will not be impossible to achieve. The use of drones as weapons of war and delivery and surveillance systems should not be dismissed because many people do not realize the real capabilities of drones and how they can be used to better the world through efficient air strikes, faster delivery times, and useful surveillance.
Ground forces throughout the military rely heavily on the aerial systems used by their aviation assets in order to accomplish their missions. Advances in technology have evolved the types of aircraft used in battle, and while the manned aviation asset is still the leading system used, unmanned systems are steadily moving forward. Manned aircraft systems have both advantages and disadvantages as well as unmanned aircraft systems. The military utilizes both of these systems to complement each other in the battlefield. In this topic, we will discuss the advantages and disadvantages for both systems.
It wasn’t until 1916 that the first modern UAV equipped with altitude control was developed and manufactured by the Americans Lawrence and Sperry. The UAV was stabilized via the use of a gyroscope. It was named the ‘Aviation Torpedo’ and had a flying capability of up to 30 miles.
One great defining cultural aspect of drone technology in America, is its magnificent history. According to Newcome (2004), Radioplane Company in Hollywood, was owned by a British Actor and WWII pilot and built over 15,000 small drones for the military. A young President Ronald Reagan, when he was in the Airforce, directed an Army journalist to do a story on the Radioplane Company, where he took the first photographs of Norma Jean assembling radio-controlled airplanes. The young Army photographer told Norma she could be a model and only a few years later Marilyn Monroe emerged.
Tice, Brian P. (1991). Unmanned Aerial Vehicles – The Force Multiplier of the 1990s. Airpower Journal.