The Evolution of Drones
Lenea Gutierrez
DeVry University
The Evolution of Drones
When most people think of a drone they deem it as simply a device much like a remote control car or plane. Believe it or not, drones have been around for over a century. Throughout most of the century, drones have been used primarily for warfare and surveillance. However, within the past two decades these devices have appealed to more companies as an inexpensive solution to business needs. What once started out as a hot air balloon has now evolved into a much more sophisticated device with many uses that only seem to be growing exponentially. This paper will discuss the predecessors to this technology as well as provide a historical diagram.
Historical Timeline and Predecessor Assessment
The first documented drone, also known as unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), dates back to 1849. Austria launched balloons with explosives attached into the city of Venice. While this idea lacked sophistication and accuracy, it was definitely a clever way to attack a country without having the loss of human lives. There is little information as to whether or not the attack was successful. Most reports claim that it could have been a successful attack, but wind caused the balloons to shift back towards the …show more content…
The Q-2, known as the Firebees, was by far the most impressive creation during its time. Previous to all other UAV’s, this UAV was capable of staying in the air for a longer time period as well as reaching record altitudes. “The early Firebee could stay in flight for two hours and was capable of reaching heights of up to 60,000 feet.” (History of U.S. Drones 2012) Another major feature of these drones was the speeds they recorded. Some of the prototypes hit record speeds of around 500mph. It became apparent that these sophisticated drones would be better use in the battlefield rather than as target
Lenea Gutierrez
DeVry University
The Evolution of Drones
When most people think of a drone they deem it as simply a device much like a remote control car or plane. Believe it or not, drones have been around for over a century. Throughout most of the century, drones have been used primarily for warfare and surveillance. However, within the past two decades these devices have appealed to more companies as an inexpensive solution to business needs. What once started out as a hot air balloon has now evolved into a much more sophisticated device with many uses that only seem to be growing exponentially. This paper will discuss the predecessors to this technology as well as provide a historical diagram.
Historical Timeline and Predecessor Assessment
The first documented drone, also known as unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), dates back to 1849. Austria launched balloons with explosives attached into the city of Venice. While this idea lacked sophistication and accuracy, it was definitely a clever way to attack a country without having the loss of human lives. There is little information as to whether or not the attack was successful. Most reports claim that it could have been a successful attack, but wind caused the balloons to shift back towards the …show more content…
The Q-2, known as the Firebees, was by far the most impressive creation during its time. Previous to all other UAV’s, this UAV was capable of staying in the air for a longer time period as well as reaching record altitudes. “The early Firebee could stay in flight for two hours and was capable of reaching heights of up to 60,000 feet.” (History of U.S. Drones 2012) Another major feature of these drones was the speeds they recorded. Some of the prototypes hit record speeds of around 500mph. It became apparent that these sophisticated drones would be better use in the battlefield rather than as target