When the war in Afghanistan kicked off, the U.S. military only had a handful of drones or unmanned weapons on the battlefield. Now it’s one of the military’s main concerns as they race to outdo the competition developing innovative robots that do the dirty work. Technology is always changing and here’s a look at some of the recent developments in unmanned warfare that’s making its way to a war zone.
3. Robosoldiers. While the U.S. focuses on unmanned planes, Israel is fixated on the robosolider. They’re combining what they already know about UAVs and implementing “see-shoot” robotic soldiers that are actually trained by military officials in closed quarters. Israel’s ultimate plan is to have the Israel-Gaza border be the first border manned by these robosoldiers
4. Flying saucers. The Department of Defense claims these smaller UAVs will be optimal during warfare in urban areas. They’re smaller than most aerial UAVs and cost less to produce. It’s battery powered and there are versions being made all over the world, but only prototypes have been tested. Will flying saucers ever make it to actual battle? Maybe, but it seems other models are outdoing the progress made with saucers.
4. Flying saucers. The Department of Defense claims these smaller UAVs will be optimal during warfare in urban areas. They’re smaller than most aerial UAVs and cost less to produce. It’s battery powered and there are versions being made all over the world, but only prototypes have been tested. Will flying saucers ever make it to actual battle? Maybe, but it seems other models are outdoing the progress made with saucers.
6. S-100 Camcopter. With the help of Schiebel Industries, Boeing has created this compact helicopter for surveillance purposes. It can also carry up to 110 pounds and while it’s suitable for personal use, it was developed with the military in mind. Still, it’s only a matter of time until this technology trickles down to a spy shop near you.
7. Forrester Radar System. This innovative system allows UAVs to gather data when there’s obstruction, such as forests. The Forrester works exclusively with the Boeing A16OT Hummingbird and allows the UAV to detect the enemy no matter how slowly they’re moving, even when masked by trees. For wars had in the jungle, the Forrester will become an invaluable tool and further generations of the system may detect targets under similar hidden circumstances.
Unmanned warfare is the way of the future. Robots are used in small quantities right now, but nations like the U.S. and Israel are investing big in developing super drones that can outrun and outwit other robots and even humans. Other countries like Austria and Canada are quickly snapping up the unmanned machines that are created. As technology improves, there’s a higher chance of having unmanned warfare fighting our battles and collecting data without sending soldiers into dangerous territories.
