Unmanned Aerial Vehicles ( UAV s)

Abstract

Abstract A new type of aerial vehicle was introduced in the twentieth century, alongside manned aviation – the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). A UAV is either remotely controlled by a human operator or operates autonomously. A system that includes a UAV platform, a Command and Control station and, in some cases, take‐off and landing devices is called UAS. The history of the UAV begins in parallel to the history of manned aviation. However, only recently its development and progress, hindered in the past by lack of technology, made the UAV category a major area of interest for many civilian and military applications. Dimensions, propulsion and applications of UAVs differ from manned aircraft. Nowadays, sizes of UAVs vary from several centimeters to a wingspan of over 40 m. Propulsion types are diverse as well; from tiny electrical motors to large Turbofan engines. UAVs are used today to substitute manned aircraft in missions of reconnaissance, attack or scientific survey – in many cases with better performance, lower costs and without endangering a pilot. As the widened introduction of UAVs continues, their capabilities and versatility grow, and thus present the most promising technological solution for many current and future airborne applications. This chapter presents a short review of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle and systems. UAV characteristics, technologies, development history and future trends are discussed.