A Brief History of UAV Development
Development Background
Drones first emerged in the 1920s. In 1914, during the height of World War I, two British generals proposed an idea to the British Military Aviation Society: develop a small aircraft operated not by a pilot but via radio control, capable of flying over enemy target areas and dropping pre-loaded bombs. This bold concept immediately garnered the appreciation of the then chairman of the British Military Aviation Society, who assigned a professor to lead a team in its development. Initially, drones were used as target practice aircraft and have since become a term many countries use to describe the latest generation of unmanned aircraft.
Research and Development Timeline
1940s: During World War II, unmanned target drones were used to train anti-aircraft gunners.
1945: After World War II, surplus or decommissioned aircraft were repurposed for special research or as target drones, setting a precedent for modern drone usage. With advancements in electronic technology, drones began to demonstrate their flexibility and importance in reconnaissance roles.
1955-1974: From the Vietnam War to the Gulf War and NATO's airstrikes on Yugoslavia, drones were frequently deployed for military missions.
1982: Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) pioneered the use of drones for various military roles. During the Peace for Galilee operation (Lebanon War), the Scout drone system played a significant combat role in the Israeli Army and Air Force. The Israel Defense Forces primarily used drones for reconnaissance, intelligence gathering, tracking, and communication.
1991: During Operation Desert Storm, the U.S. military launched small drones specifically designed to deceive radar systems as decoys, a tactic later emulated by other countries.
March 1996: NASA developed two experimental aircraft: the X-36 tailless unmanned fighter prototypes. These aircraft were 5.7 meters long, weighed 88 kilograms, and were about 28% the size of a conventional fighter. They used separated ailerons and thrust vectoring systems, making them more agile than traditional fighters. The absence of horizontal and vertical tailfins reduced weight, drag, and radar cross-section. Ideal missions for unmanned fighters included suppressing enemy air defenses, interdiction, battle damage assessment, theater missile defense, and high-altitude strikes, particularly in politically sensitive regions.
Late 20th Century: Prior to this period, drones were merely smaller versions of full-scale remote-controlled aircraft. The U.S. military's interest in such vehicles grew due to their cost-effectiveness, mission flexibility, and the elimination of pilot risk.
1990s: After the Gulf War, drones experienced rapid development and widespread adoption. The U.S. military purchased and developed Pioneer drones, which served as reliable systems during the second and third Gulf Wars against Iraq.
Post-1990s: Western countries fully recognized the role of drones in warfare and competed to apply advanced technologies to their development: new wing designs and lightweight materials significantly extended flight endurance; advanced signal processing and communication technologies improved image transmission speed and digital data transfer; and sophisticated autopilots enabled drones to navigate via pre-programmed waypoints without relying on ground-based television screens.
May 2025: Reports from the ongoing Ukraine conflict highlighted the rise of fiber-optic-guided FPV drones. These drones, equipped with a fiber-optic cable less than 0.5 mm in diameter for signal transmission, overcome the vulnerability of traditional radio-controlled drones to interference. Fiber optics transmit data via light pulses, offering strong anti-jamming capabilities, wider bandwidth, and real-time transmission of high-definition battlefield footage, providing operators with an immersive experience.