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As for the military application of UAVs, how have they transformed military strategy? Has their integration been efficient (consider all aspects - from financial to ethical)?
As the world turns over and night turns today, the human machine continues on its the tireless mission to improve and prosper. Since the times when humans started to populate the earth, and even before that, species have battled for resources for food, shelter, and safety. The ways of which we have waged this age-old war has changed considerably since its beginning but has not become any less important. From the age of the club to the now current UAV, war pushes our technology and resources to the maximum to win in the shortest amount of time with the least amount of casualty to life and property. On February 10th, 2018 I wrote briefly about the transformation of the military stratagem regarding the acceptance of drones. Drone use has taken significantly greater roles in recent times because they allow for safer operations and increased situational awareness. The major disadvantage is the costs which range from training pilots to the actual purchase and maintenance of the drones themselves.
UAVs, or Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, are a hot topic in todays war debates. “Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are aircraft with no on-board crew or passengers. They can be automated ‘drones’ or remotely piloted vehicles (RPVs)” (IWM Staff, January 30, 2018). Among the first pilotless vehicles was the Kettering Bug, which was originally designed by the US military, was flown successfully a few times during testing in the first world war but was uncompleted by the wars end. Afterwards, the British military developed the DH.82B Queen Bee, which was radio controlled to fly for target practice. The US military was also using remote controlled drones for target practice training. UAVs were used in a massive scale in Vietnam for multiple operations including decoys in combat and launching missiles. As technology has increased, drones have been able to fly longer and become more fuel efficient, better equipped and armed to tackle harder missions.
The drone, also known as the UAV, age has truly begone and most of the military has become adapted to carry out drone operations. According to BBC, “Drones are used in situations where manned flight is considered too risky or difficult. They provide troops with a 24-hour "eye in the sky", seven days a week. Each aircraft can stay aloft for up to 17 hours at a time, loitering over an area and sending back real-time imagery of activities on the ground” (BBC, January 31, 2012). Some of the key functions include intelligence gathering, checking for explosives on roads, listening into mobile conversations, close air support, and attacking and following insurgents. Each drone is equipped with a wide array of cameras, sensors, enhancers, and radar to observe and report on suspected activity. This is accomplished by a satellite link that allows the drone to be controlled and to send information across the globe to be analyzed and allow the crews and superior officers of these divisions to act appropriately. Due to the versatility and adaptability of the drone, it has quickly become a very valuable asset to the military.
The projected drone usage is expected to drastically increase within the coming years, leading to an unprecedented advancement in drone capability and adaptability. Futurist speaker Thomas Frey, an individual who philosophies in future trends, stated that the military could be trending towards “Flying Camouflage Drones – Visually masking everything below; Communication Disruptors – Creating zero-communication zones over targeted areas; Battlefield Medical Supply Drones – Providing almost instant source of supplies and equipment for battlefield injuries; Invisible Spy Drones – Too small to see, with rolling, jumping, flying, attach to anything capabilities” (Frey, September 2, 2014).  Some of the more extreme ideas such as a heat seeking bullet drone, would be a very far into the future advancement if at all. Some of the advancement that the military has seen so far has been truly amazing. From putting new drones in the sky, to bomb detection, some of the newest inventions can help troops avoid unnecessary dangers. The biggest downside is the extreme expense of drones and drone systems which cost millions of dollars in expenses for purchase. There is always an argument that you can’t price a human life but there is definitely a future for drones in the military and the civilian world as well.


References
BBC NEWS. (January 31, 2012). Drones: What are they and how do they work? Retrieved from http://www.bbc.com/news/world-south-asia-10713898
Frey, T. (September 2, 2014). 192 Future Uses for Flying Drones. Retrieved from https://www.futuristspeaker.com/business-trends/192-future-uses-for-flying-drones/
IWM Staff. (January 30, 2018). A BRIEF HISTORY OF DRONES. Retrieved from https://www.iwm.org.uk/history/a-brief-history-of-drones

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