Unmanned Aerial Vehicles can
be traced back-to-back to the earliest winged aircraft and back to even the
lighter than air vehicles set up for photographic reconnaissance (Merlin, 2013). In the early days, controls were not nearly as sophisticated
as they are today. The Kettering bug did not have satellite global positioning
systems (GPS), remote steering, or real time uplink/downlink. It was directed
by no more than a fixed propeller, a gyroscope, and a barometer/altimeter (Kettering, 1918).
One of the
more significant and historical breakthroughs in remote aircraft manipulation
came during World War II with ‘Operation Aphrodite’. Operation Aphrodite took
what the United States had learned and compiled about flight, remote control,
and television broadcasting, and turned it into a weapon. The mission entailed
outfitting a Navy Liberator aircraft with ten tons of explosives, two live feed
television cameras, a remote controlled flight control system controlled by a
follow plane, and two daredevil pilots to take off in it and then bail out
after arming the bombs (History of Wings, 2012). Looking back at this
particular ‘Unmanned Mission’ it’s easy to see just how far we have come in
unmanned flight. At that time the mission was to create a kamikaze, without the
kamikaze, by using the latest technology to perform a dangerous mission without
harming the crew. In essence, today’s missions are no different than those of
70 years ago. Perform a dangerous mission using the most up to date technology,
while putting a crew in as little danger (if any at all).
While
technologies are improving by leaps and bounds the basic fundamentals have only
evolved from their predecessors. Advanced gyros are still used in today’s
aircraft, sensitive GPS and remote control functions are used from great
distances, much like those “line of site” remote flights of decades past. Basic
theories of flight must remain constant as properties such as lift, drag,
thrust, and weight will remain factors, at least for now (Smithsonian National
Air and Space Museum, 2014).
Some
of the newest and most refined technologies when it comes to Unmanned Aerial
Systems (UAS) come in both military and civilian fronts. Troops on the ground
can now benefit from live video images sent to tablets, laptops, etc. Providing
them with real time situations and well as opportunities to make better, safer
decisions before going into an area with zero, or old information (PM Unmanned
Aircraft Systems, 2011). From the civilian sector, Amazon is in the early
stages of using GPS guided drones to deliver packages to customers, right onto
their doorstep. Obviously this technology (along with the FAA regulations) is
still years away. Amazon CEO, Jeff Bezos had this to say in regards to his “by
drone mail”, “Octocopters will pick up packages in small yellow buckets at
Amazon’s fulfillment centers and fly through the air to deliver items to
customers after they hit the buy button on Amazon.com. The goal of the delivery
system is to get packages into customers’ hands in 30 minutes or less.”
In
conclusion, unmanned flight has come leaps and bounds from the hot air balloons
and rudimentary propeller driven torpedoes of yesteryear. Though it may appear
that the systems of today prove the originals to be relics, much remains the
same. Provide information from any given situation, whether it be dangerous or
not, in the safest and most efficient means possible to facilitate a goal.
References
History
of Wings. (2012, August 12). Operation Aphrodite ? HistoricWings.com :: A
Magazine for Aviators, Pilots and Adventurers.
Retrieved August 12, 2014, from
http://fly.historicwings.com/2012/08/operation-aphrodite/
Kettering.
(1918, September). F-0180 Aerial Test of Torpedo.
Retrieved August 2014, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HnYqskCSzBk
Merlin, P.
(2013). Crash Course. Retrieved August 12, 2014, from
https://erau.blackboard.com/bbcswebdav/pid-15170435-dt-content-rid-76607725_4/institution/Worldwide_Online/ASCI_GR_Courses/ASCI_530/External_Link/M1_Readings_Crash_Course_Lessons_Learned_from_accidents_involding_remotely_piloted_and_autonomous_aircraft.pdf
PM
Unmanned Aircraft Systems. (2011, September 16). Manned Unmanned Systems
Integration Capability Overview [Video file]. Retrieved from
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9x4JCfweve0
Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. (2014,
August). Forces of Flight | How Things Fly.
Retrieved August 12, 2014, from https://howthingsfly.si.edu/forces-flight
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