Unmanned Aviation: a Brief History of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles by Laurence R Newcome

Unmanned Aviation: a Brief History of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles by Laurence R Newcome

The term unmanned aerial vehicle or UAV came into general use in the early 1990s to describe robotic aircraft. Some are as large as a football field, others can take-off and land on one, and the smallest can easily fit inside the ball itself. These unique aircraft offer a means for man to fly missions in places that are too dull, dirty, or dangerous for manned aircraft, such as in combat today or over other planets tomorrow. In the recent international conflicts in the Middle East, Afghanistan and Eastern Europe, these devices have been used to great effect in the reconnaissance role and latterly to complement ground-attack fighters. In front-line combat situations, the use of these craft has played a vital part in reducing the fatalities of aircrew and the loss of sophisticated and expensive aircraft. Their future in the military role is now secure. However, very few people appreciate that development work on this concept started midway through the nineteenth century and well before man first took to the air. Developments took place during World War I, and various craft were used during World War II, but few of the military hierarchy were enthused, and many ingenious projects lay dormant. This is the story of how today's ultra sophisticated UAVs such as Predator and Global Hawk, have taken nearly 150 years to evolve from mans first attempts to grasp the theory and practicalities of flight.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9781844152018
ISBN 10	1844152014
Title	Unmanned Aviation: a Brief History of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
Author	Laurence R Newcome
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Paperback
Publisher	Pen & Sword Books Ltd
Year published	2004-07-14
Number of pages	176
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.