150 years of evolution
Today’s golden age of unmanned systems would not be possible without a history of developments spanning more than 150 years. First used for military purposes, unmanned systems have proven useful as weapon delivery platforms and for low-cost training equipment.
The advent of the unmanned systems at the turn of this century has led to revolutionary changes in industries such as defense, transportation, agriculture and even entertainment. Vast improvements in computer processing and decision-making abilities have thrust unmanned systems technologies from the realm of science fiction into reality. From being able to fly an aircraft much longer than a pilot can endure, to an autonomous car that drives itself from home to work without the driver ever touching the steering wheel, the possibilities for the application of unmanned systems are seemingly limitless.
The Early Years
The first known unmanned aircraft was developed by the Austrians in 1849 for an attack on Venice, Italy using balloons with attached explosives. The attack proved marginally successful. However, it signaled a clear path for the development of new unmanned technologies that would greatly surpass their predecessors.
By the 20th Century, rudimentary unmanned aircraft were being developed as flying bombs capable of traveling long distances. These aircraft used a mechanical means to “program” a set altitude, speed and distance for the aircraft to travel before descending to deliver its munitions. These early versions of today’s cruise missiles proved that new developments to accurately control these aircraft were advancing and would one day make it possible for an aircraft to fly and land without a pilot on board.
Several technologies began to mature in the 1930 that included the use of radio signals for directional control. This approach made it possible for an aircraft to go to a location and return, all through control from a ground-based pilot providing simple instructions through a radio receiver. Since the primary users of these technologies were in the military, however, the technology was not considered appropriate for widespread use.
The very first reusable unmanned aircraft controlled by radio signals was developed by the British Royal Navy. Known as the DH.82 Queen Bee, it was based on an old bi-plane design that had been retrofitted for use as an aerial target. The Queen Bee was capable of flying 300 miles, a significant feat in those days. In all, 380 were built. The distinctive name of the aircraft also suggested that this is where the term “drone” originated because the Queen Bee was controlled on the ground through radio signals.
One of the more famous developers of unmanned aircraft was Reginald Denny. A former British Royal Flying Corps officer who immigrated to the United States and actor, he later opened a model plane hobby shop in 1934 along Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles. In this shop, which later became known as the Radioplane Company, Denny developed a small, inexpensive radio-controlled aircraft that he believed would be an effective training device for U.S. anti-aircraft gunners.
After demonstrating this aircraft and others, Denny went on to design the RP-4 for the U.S. Army in 1940. A total of 53 RP-4s were purchased, which led to thousands of orders for the updated RP-5 radio-controlled aircraft. The simple aircraft was launched by a catapult and used a radio-controlled parachute for recovery. By the end of World War II, more than 1,500 Radioplane aircraft had been built.
The success of these initiatives through the 1950s further advanced the communications capabilities of the unmanned aircraft with ground controllers. These small but important technological advancements led to the development of specially-designed pilotless aircraft. These new aircraft would be used primarily as weapons delivery systems or surveillance systems, representing a further expansion of unmanned aircraft systems into roles traditionally played by piloted aircraft.
Rise of the Unmanned Reconnaissance Aircraft
New challenges arose during the Cold War period to make information gathering more and more important. Following the capture of Francis Gary Powers when his U-2 Dragon Lady spy plane was shot down over the Soviet Union in 1960, many militaries had begun to recognize that dangerous missions could be undertaken more efficiently by unmanned aircraft while offering far less political ramifications for a pilot being captured, interrogated and used for propaganda.
Companies such as the Ryan Aeronautical Company were modifying aerial targets to carry a variety of photo reconnaissance equipment. Upon hearing about several incidents where piloted surveillance aircraft had been shot down with some of the pilots being killed or captured, Ryan engineers were able to secure funding from the U.S. government to produce and demonstrate these systems for future use.
Flying Faster and Farther
By the mid-1960s, the U.S. military was using unmanned surveillance aircraft to fly frequently over Vietnam, southern China and North Korea. The aircraft proved successful in capturing a number of primary target photos. They also offered an effective alternative to using piloted aircraft in extremely hostile environments. Following initial operational flights, sensors were installed on the aircraft allowing them to capture radio signals or to jam radar. The Vietnam era Compass Arrow UAV, developed by Ryan and designed to fly deep into China featured reduced radar-cross section, reduced infrared signature, plastic and radar-absorbent composite materials, as well as had a truly breathtaking max speed of 500 miles per hour, a range 4,370 miles (7,030 km) and flew at an altitude near 80,000 ft.
Through the early 1980s, further development of unmanned aircraft resulted in many advancements to extend range and flight characteristics. With more widespread use of these aircraft, the development costs continued to decline as well. This led to exponential growth in capabilities being used for the military, in scientific studies and even for consumer use.
Governments and industry are also still improving high-end unmanned aircraft technologies that seem like something out of a science fiction novel. The world now has unmanned aircraft that can land and take off from an aircraft carrier
The Golden Age of Unmanned Systems
The advent of computers with greater processing power and vast communications networks have now made it possible to command an unmanned aircraft from a completely different continent – or even on another planet. Indeed, these advancements have literally changed the way we learn about ourselves, and even the universe.
By the late 1990s, new semi-autonomous capabilities were being used to allow unmanned systems to do things no human could accomplish. Rather than flying the plane remotely, ground operators could pass commands to an aircraft from a desktop computer by entering waypoints on a computer-generated map. This accomplishment and other technological advances have further transformed how we view unmanned aircraft systems with an eye on further uses in large commercial industries.
Governments and industry are also still improving high-end unmanned aircraft technologies that seem like something out of a science fiction novel. The world now has unmanned aircraft that can land and take off from an aircraft carrier or survey farm crops by itself. Unmanned technologies have even made it possible for a building-sized unmanned rocket to land safely by itself after delivering a satellite into orbit. We’re even on the verge of having our own cars drive us to work with a simple touch of a button.
It is definitely the golden age of unmanned systems and an era where our ideas and potential are truly endless. Many military and commercial applications are now mature enough to see widespread use with new capabilities being unveiled every day.
