June 21, 2003
Spies that fly
PBS's NOVA program had an episode earlier this year called "Spies That Fly," focused on the past, present, and future of aerial surveillance. I missed the broadcast, but will be looking for it in reruns. PBS has built an informative web site to expand on the program. It's chock full of facts and images -- check it out.
The air war in Afghanistan showed that sometimes the hottest pilots are sitting on the ground operating the remote controls of UAVs -- or unmanned aerial vehicles. In newly declassified footage, "Spies That Fly" reveals the astounding capabilities of UAVs and the ambitious plans for future models.As demonstrated in every aerial operation involving United States forces since the Gulf War in 1991, UAVs can fly places and perform missions that are often too dangerous for humans to risk. Among the advanced UAVs now under development are super-efficient jets that can soar halfway around the world on autopilot without refueling and six-inch flying disks with penny-sized cameras. Right now the Marines are developing their own UAV, which can be carried in a backpack and launched by small units for battlefield intelligence.
The ultimate robotic flyer could be as small as a bee, however. Because of recent breakthroughs in understanding how insects hover, the future may hold fly-sized, flapping UAVs that can infiltrate buildings as antiterrorism surveillance vehicles.
via PBS.org
Posted by Alan at June 21, 2003 11:48 AM