On December 30, 2013, the Federal Aviation Administration designated six authorized test sites for the commercial development of unmanned aerial vehicles, or UAVs. (Nevada, Alaska, New York, North Dakota, Texas and Virginia). Even within that grouping of states, the FAA is still requiring oversight and deconfliction of all UAV flights.
Nevada was quick to take the lead in the race to attract companies who are researching and building UAVs. The University of Nevada – Reno established a “drone minor”, available to students pursuing a mechanical engineering major. They created a drone laboratory, that I visited/toured last week.
The US Air Force has said more than once that the F-22 and F-35 are likely to be the last manned fighter aircraft that will be built by the USA. There are advantages to putting humans in the cockpit but there are more disadvantages because the capabilities of unmanned aircraft far exceed the ability of a human (requiring a very heavy and complex life support and control system) to survive inside of it as it maneuvers at very high g.
The coming generation of UAVs will not need to have the hokey and occasionally difficult to fly twin stick controls. That is a thing of the past along with the open propellor blade helicopter style UAVs – part of the legacy of development in the rapidly changing landscape of UAVs. Advanced systems now are and future systems will increasingly be autonomous.
Artificial intelligence.
The “flying bed frame” (left) gave way to the AV-8B Harrier. In the same way, the early exploration of advanced UAVs will lead to better and more effective aviation devices. The difference between the AV-8B and the new UAV’s is that there is no pilot on the aircraft. Eventually the pilot will be linked neurally to the drone/UAV and will guide in that way. After that, the human will be removed from the system entirely as quantum computing comes on line.
Very Star Wars.
I have a vested interest in the development and implementation of the flying bedpan… with a payload recovery system…
I'm with Opus.
“You’ve never heard of the Millennium Falcon? … It’s the ship that made the Kessel run in less than 12 parsecs.”
Anything that the human mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve.
“You don’t need to see his identification … These aren’t the droids you’re looking for … He can go about his business … Move along.” — and may the force be with you.
Ah yes, AI… And at what point do they become self-aware and go screw you humans??? 🙂
Soon, very soon.
Computers are tired of taking s#%t from humans.
All we need are quantum processors and AI will soon be able to calculate better than humans. Heck, my laptop computer chess program is already smarter than the president of the United States – makes better choices too.
If you selected a third grader at random in the US, he/she would make better choices than Obama. That's one heck of a low bar for a computer…
My BIL retired on the F14 and my nephew just may retire on the F35. After that, they'll all be farmers.
Or drone drivers.
Comments are closed.