11/27/2017 1.

1 UAS History

Published on GEOG 892: Unmanned Aerial Systems (https://www.e-education.psu.edu/geog892)

Home > Lesson 1: Introduction to the Unmanned Aerial System > 1.1 UAS History

1.1 UAS History

Welcome to section 1.1! Here you will learn about the history of UAS development and its introduction to civilian and military applications.

The history of flying objects, or the unmanned aerial vehicle in its rudimentary forms, extends way back to ancient civilizations. The Chinese,
around 200 AD, used paper balloons (equipped with oil lamps to heat the air) to fly over their enemies after dark, which caused fear among the
enemy soldiers who believed that there was divine power involved in the flight.

In the United States, during the Civil War, both Union and Confederate forces launched balloons laden with explosives and attempted to land them
in supply or ammunition depots and explode them.

As a matter of fact, the idea of unmanned aerial objects came long before manned flights. This was for the obvious reason of removing the risk of
loss of life in conjunction with these experimental objects. In modern times, the idea of unmanned flying objects developed to mean flying aerial
vehicles, or aircraft without pilots on board. Thanks to advancements in technology, the maneuvering and control of piloted flight can be sufficiently
mimicked.

Names like aerial torpedo, radio controlled vehicle, remotely piloted vehicle (RPV), remote controlled vehicle, autonomous controlled vehicle,
pilotless vehicle, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), unmanned aircraft system (UAS) and drone are names that may be used to describe a flying
object or machine without a pilot on board.

The main challenge that faced early aerospace pioneers of piloted and pilotless airplanes alike was the issue of controlling flight once the flying
object was up in the air. The Wright Brothers (1903), and at about the same time, Dr. Samuel Pierpont Langley, taught the aviation world a lot about
the secrets of controlled flight. Afterwards, the war machine of WWI put intense pressure on inventors and scientists to come up with innovations in
all aspects of flight design including power plants, fuselage structures, lifting wing configurations and control surface arrangements. By the time
WWI ended, modern day aviation had been born.

In late 1916, the US navy funded Sperry Gyroscope Company (later named Sperry Corporation) to develop an unmanned torpedo that could fly a
guided distance of 1000 yards to detonate its warhead close enough to an enemy warship. Almost two years later, on March 6, 1918, after a series
of failures, Sperry efforts succeeded in launching an unmanned torpedo to fly a 1000-yard course in stable guided flight. It dived onto its target at
the desired time and place, and later was recovered and landed. With this successful flight, the worlds first unmanned aircraft system, which is
called Curtis N-9, was born.

In the late 1930s, the U.S. Navy returned to the development of drones. This was highlighted by the Navy Research Labs development of the
Curtis N2C-2 drone. (See Figure 1). The 2500-lb. bi-plane was instrumental in testing the accuracy and efficiency of the Navy anti-aircraft defense
system.

Figure 1.1: The Curtis N2C-2 Drone

https://www.e-education.psu.edu/geog892/print/book/export/html/643 1/2
11/27/2017 1.1 UAS History
Source: The National Mesuem of Naval Aviation [1]

World War II accelerated the development of aviation science in general and the unmanned aircraft in particular. Both the Germans and the allies
successfully utilized unmanned combat aircraft. The most extensive program came about during the Vietnam War, as advances in technologies
made UAVs more effective. Ryan Firebee drones by Teledyne-Ryan Aeronautical of San Diego, California were flown extensively over North
Vietnam and conducted various tasks, such as reconnaissance and signals intelligence missions, leaflet drops, and surface-to-air missile radar
detection.

In most recent experience, US forces used drones in the wars in Bosnia, Iraq, and Afghanistan, and drones are in continuous use in the war on
terrorism around the world.

In the most recent experience, the US forces used drones in the war in Iraq, Bosnia, and Afghanistan. The use of drones is continuously used up
to this day in the war on terrorism around the world.

To Read
1. Chapter 1 of textbook 1, Introduction to the Unmanned Aircraft Systems
2. Section 1.1 and 1.2 of chapter 1 of textbook 2, Introduction to UAV Systems (Aerospace Series)

Source URL: https://www.e-education.psu.edu/geog892/node/643

Links
[1] http://naval.aviation.museum/intro.html

https://www.e-education.psu.edu/geog892/print/book/export/html/643 2/2