USAF generals are often vocally sceptical about unmanned aircraft, and the USAF has so far failed to move forward with serious, heavy, jet-powered drone combat aircraft.
Even its prop-driven Predator-B/Reaper hunter-killer, thus far the heftiest aerial death-droid in operation, must be handled remotely by a fully-qualified human pilot and sensor operator.
Scan Eagle recce drones used by the US Marines and Navy can now be autonomously handled in groups by intelligent software. Completely hands-off, they can be told to sweep a given area. They can be informed of an important target - for instance a suspicious vehicle - using only a cellphone/PDA, and move in without further input to gather video and follow the target covertly.
A single Marine operator with relatively basic skills can potentially handle at least three Scan Eagles at once; if USAF Predators or Reapers were being used this would call for six people minimum, at least three of them officers with wings on their chests.
press release | The Register
Posted by Stubbornson at August 28, 2007 01:53 PM