Drones, technically referred to as “unmanned aerial vehicles” (UAVs), all fall into a couple very general categories despite the fact that there are dozens of different types. First, there are those that are either controlled by pilots on the ground, or those that are becoming completely autonomous, following pre-programmed missions. Then there are drones used for reconnaissance and surveillance missions, and those that are armed with missiles and bombs instead. As years go by, there has been a rapid increase in the use of drones, particularly in the military, for a few different reasons. The major reasons are that drones are cheaper, stay in the air longer, and can be flown to remote locations without endangering humans in comparison to manned, military aircrafts (dronewars.net).
RQ-11 Raven
The RQ-11 Raven looks like a model airplane and is launched with a throw. This 4 pound military drone is then piloted with a hand-held controller, very much like a video game. The Raven is useful for seeing around corners of providing footage of rooftops for troops moving through cities, and more than 19,000 have been built (popsci.com). This drone is one of the more helpful drones in terms of scouting ahead, fitting under the category of reconnaissance and surveillance.
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RQ-7 shadowThe RQ-7 Shadow also provides visuals to troops, with near-instant video feed to depict the battlefield. It can fly almost 80 miles away from its commander, and is about the same size as the average man (popsci.com). This is another excellent recon or surveillance type drone, although slightly larger than the RQ-11 Raven.
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mq-1 predator and mq-9 reaperThe MQ-1 Predator (pictured to the right) and MQ-9 Reaper are both heavily armed, are are typically used in drone strikes. The newer Reaper is larger with a more powerful engine and the ability to carry much more than the Predator. They are the most iconic drones, and are typical the drones photographed news stories (popsci.com). Unlike the Raven and the Shadow, both the Predator and the Reaper are armed with missiles and bombs, not usually used for reconnaissance or surveillance.
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More about the reaper... |
The Reaper is one of the newer drones, and is “basically the predator drone on steroids” (dronewars.net). It is also considered one of the most advanced killing machines in the Air Force’s arsenal, but instead of physically having a pilot, the reaper is flown from a control room in Nevada. When the predator drone had begun to be seen as a potential weapon, the military decided to build the reaper, the second generation drone after the predator, but make it primarily a “hunter.” One of the major differences between the two drones is that the reaper is capable of carrying 4 missiles, as well as 2 bombs, which can be an enormous asset for soldiers in the midst of war. The reaper also has a new ability, in addition to being able to track its targets with “radar, infrared, and specialized cameras,” it can destroy the enemy without placing its pilot in harm (dronwars.net). Of all the benefits of using drones, the ability to prevent unnecessary deaths of soldiers is awesome and a step into the future in terms of modernizing and advancing weaponry.
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RQ-4 Global HawkThe RQ-4 Global Hawk is probably the largest drone in use, weighing over 32,000 pounds with a wingspan of 130 feet. It can fly for more than a day, can reach up to 60,000 feet, and can take high-resolution pictures of the landscape, detecting and tracking moving targets. It is “the leviathan of the drone fleet” (popsci.com). This drone appears to be used more for reconnaissance and surveillance, when one would assume it would be loaded with bombs and missiles.
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The take away here should be that the US military has a wide selection of drones to choose from, each with various capabilities, and these advanced technologies have had a major impact on the way the US fights war nowadays.
To read about a variety of different drones, by no means an all inclusive list, click here.