Chang W. Lee
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio — Two miles from the cow pasture where the Wright Brothers learned to fly the first airplanes, military researchers are at work on another revolution in the air: shrinking unmanned drones, the kind that fire missiles into Pakistan and spy on insurgents in Afghanistan, to the size of insects and birds. The base’s indoor flight lab is called the “microaviary,” and for good reason. The drones in development here are designed to replicate the flight mechanics of moths, hawks and other inhabitants of the natural world. “We’re looking at how you hide in plain sight,” said Greg Parker, an aerospace engineer, citeste si comenteaza …

In interval de doar trei ani, am vazut drone de supraveghere devenind complet operationale in mod deschis pe pamant american. In 2007, reporterii din Texas au filmat pentru prima data testarea unei drone Predator, efectuata de departamentul local de politie, in colaborare cu Dep. de Securitate Interna (DSI). Si in 2009, s-a dezvaluit ca o operatiune de utilizare a dronelor in orasele mari era in desfasurare, cu totul diferita de functiile de “control de frontiera” declarate. Anul acesta s-a anuntat nu doar ca drone operatiunile vor zbura pe deasupra granitei mexicane, dar si ca Statele Unite si Canada sunt parteneriat pentru a acoperi 900 de mile de la frontiera de nord. Acum, ca s-a creat precedentul de folosire a dronelor in zone non-combat, armata continua sa dezvaluie citeste si comenteaza …