Unmanned aircraft, or drones, are still a very recent development in aviation but have since played a significant part in the advancement of aviation technology. People can fly these aircraft for benefit or for fun without putting themselves in danger. Drones are primarily used by military but are also often used for surveillance, filmmaking, sensing, and exploration among other things. In the military, “drones are used in situations where manned flight is considered too risky or difficult” BBC News (2012) so that no harm is inflicted on any servicemen. They were first used in the early twentieth century for military target practice and later in World War II for bombs. Surveillance drones were then developed during the Cold War “to capture
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After the September 11 attacks occurred in 2001, surveillance drones were developed into hunter killer drones. These UAVs make it possible to perform uncertain operations without putting the lives of pilots or crewmembers in jeopardy. The most well-known hunter killer drones are the MQ-1 Predator and the MQ-9 Reaper. The Predator is an “armed, multi-mission, medium-altitude, long-endurance remotely piloted aircraft” U.S. Air Force (2015) used primarily to collect intelligence and secondarily to execute desired targets. In addition to these missions, it is capable of performing close air support, precision strike, search and rescue, reconnaissance, and multiple other tasks. The Predator is part of a system that consists of four aircraft, a ground control station, sensors, and satellite communication. Since this unmanned aircraft system (UAS) is also capable of combat, it is equipped with Hellfire missiles. The popularity and wide use of the Predator prove how effective and successful it has been in not only military surveillance and combat missions but also missions for the C.I.A. The Reaper is very similar to the Predator but instead is used primarily for executing targets and secondarily to gather intelligence, whereas the Predator’s primary purpose is to collect intelligence. It is also capable of performing all of the same tasks as the Predator. In comparison to the Predator, the Reaper is larger, can reach higher speeds, and can carry many more weapons. Clearly, the Reaper is better designed for target execution and the Predator is better designed for surveillance and gathering intelligence. Both aircraft are incredibly effective in the tasks they are designed for and are widely used for military missions. Unmanned aircraft like these have changed the way drones are used for military missions. With the ability of drones to perform close air
After the September 11 attacks occurred in 2001, surveillance drones were developed into hunter killer drones. These UAVs make it possible to perform uncertain operations without putting the lives of pilots or crewmembers in jeopardy. The most well-known hunter killer drones are the MQ-1 Predator and the MQ-9 Reaper. The Predator is an “armed, multi-mission, medium-altitude, long-endurance remotely piloted aircraft” U.S. Air Force (2015) used primarily to collect intelligence and secondarily to execute desired targets. In addition to these missions, it is capable of performing close air support, precision strike, search and rescue, reconnaissance, and multiple other tasks. The Predator is part of a system that consists of four aircraft, a ground control station, sensors, and satellite communication. Since this unmanned aircraft system (UAS) is also capable of combat, it is equipped with Hellfire missiles. The popularity and wide use of the Predator prove how effective and successful it has been in not only military surveillance and combat missions but also missions for the C.I.A. The Reaper is very similar to the Predator but instead is used primarily for executing targets and secondarily to gather intelligence, whereas the Predator’s primary purpose is to collect intelligence. It is also capable of performing all of the same tasks as the Predator. In comparison to the Predator, the Reaper is larger, can reach higher speeds, and can carry many more weapons. Clearly, the Reaper is better designed for target execution and the Predator is better designed for surveillance and gathering intelligence. Both aircraft are incredibly effective in the tasks they are designed for and are widely used for military missions. Unmanned aircraft like these have changed the way drones are used for military missions. With the ability of drones to perform close air