History of unmanned aerial vehicles
As unmanned aviation is any aviation activities that are unmanned aircraft ( in the strict sense can only be used unmanned ) performed.
Beginnings of unmanned aerial vehicles
Originally went unmanned aviation manned aviation advance in order to test the aircraft or develop (see, for example, or Gleitapparat Montgolfier Wright Brothers ). But already in the 19th century put an Léon- Philippe Teisserenc de Bort and other usable only unmanned weather balloons for atmospheric and climate research.
The development of autopilot systems from 1914 then made the construction of unmanned aircraft to be used in particular aircraft possible, even when doing an important requirement today, the reusability was not always the case ( see, eg, V1 with automatic gyro -pilot ).
Remote controls, automatic country systems and increasingly sophisticated autopilot systems have led to a real unmanned aerial vehicles with special exclusively usable unmanned aircraft and associated flight control systems which serve a variety of purposes.
Brief Chronology of unmanned aerial vehicles
- 2010, February. The first of three leased Heron I of the German Luftwaffe reconnaissance drone strikes in Afghanistan, where they successfully are as of 18 March 2010 at the use.
- 2012, January. An amendment to the Civil Aviation Act of the German Bundestag passed without further debate on the night of 26 January 27, 2012 for " unmanned aircraft systems " up to 150 kilograms equal participation in air transport in addition to manned aircraft.
Motivations for unmanned aviation
- Flying weight and miniaturization: Unmanned, pilot -less aircraft are easier not only to the pilot's weight, you also save the weight and space for life support and rescue systems (eg pressurized cabin, ejection seat ). For many tasks unmanned machines can be designed, thereby substantially less efficient than manned solutions.
- Maneuvers: Unmanned aircraft can fly maneuvers with high gravitational loads that pilots would not survive without health consequences.
- Security: Unmanned aerial vehicles can be sent in missions where a loss is highly likely. By omitting a return of the action area can be significantly increased.
- Flight duration: Unmanned aerial vehicles can be designed for flight times that exceed the capabilities of a pilot.
Examples of applications
Aircraft heavier than air
- Research
- Height Platform
- Aerial Photography
- Military UAV
- Collect meteorological data
- Model aircraft, in particular the first person view
- Traffic monitoring
- Development of flight technology
Aircraft lighter than air
- Weather balloon
- Research balloon
- Balloon post