Uninhabited and Unafraid, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UCAV, UAV, and Drone Aircraft)

[Hobbes]

It will, I agree happen but I'd still be very worried about operating UAVs in a conventional manner off of a carrier.  The take-offs would be easily accomplished but landing back on?  I'd be worried about a UAV to make the multitude of instantaneous decisions which a live pilot does in such a demanding environment.  Watching an aircraft come over the tail of a carrier deck is worrying enough when there is a pilot in the loop, watching it when there isn't, I'd be a little frightened (and remember, I work in IT so I know what computers can do!    ).

Landing on a carrier is just the thing that computers are much better at than humans: simple laws of physics, rapid responses required to any change. Replace the landing light system with some precision position measurement, and you're there.

The sticky points with UAVs are situational awareness and target identification, not landing.

[GTX]

From our correspondant in China, aka Deino:

You have to give it to the Chinese for developing a very attractive, joined wing UAV!





Regards,

Greg

[deathjester]

Whether it's happening already or not doesn't necessarily mean it's a good thing. 

Depends upon one's point of view.

As far as I'm aware, however, there are no autonomous UAVs currently dropping ordnance

Excuse me, who said anything about fully autonomous???

Try looking up the Bae Mantis.

[rickshaw]

Greg, it is attractive.  I assume thats just a life-size mock up though, as I can't see any undercarriage below it.

[rickshaw]

A new article, including pictures about the RAAF's UAV programme in Afghanistan.  Up till now, this has been heavily shrouded in secrecy.

[Spey_Phantom]

BUMP:

noticed the UCAV version of the Global Hawk in last nights "Agents of SHIELD" 
to bad the video was to dark, so this is the best i could do for now.

[jcf]

Early quad-copter RPV (drone) crop sprayer, a 1960 concept from Gloster Aircraft.
10' diameter rotors on folding arms, length 22' 10", width 20' 7", height 3'. 105hp
Potez 4E air-cooled flat-four. 20 gal spray tank, 22' spray-bar. Two operators, one
on each end of the field, control would automatically switch to whichever was closest
to prevent over-running the target field, the drone also automatically homed in on
the controllers. It was intended that it would be trailered from field to field with the
arms folded.