An eye on UAVs

Electronics play an important role in unmanned aerial vehicles designated for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance mission areas, as well as for combat.

Roadmaps seem to be everywhere these days. Earlier this year, Dyke Weatherington, Deputy, Office of the Secretary of Defense, Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Planning Task Force, announced the release of the 2002 Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Roadmap. According to Weatherington, one of the specific purposes of the document, which looks out to 2027, is to identify “those near-term mission areas that can be impacted significantly by emerging UAV technology.”

Another goal for the roadmap is its use as “a guide to our industry and allies, identifying the highest value areas for independent investment and areas for international cooperation,” said Weatherington. Ironically, it is international uncooperation that has made UAVs increasingly important for a wide range of armed forces mission scenarios-particularly ISR, or intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance-proving especially useful because they can be launched from secure positions to perform military tasks in a dangerous environment.