Warfare Use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

This article contains a summary of the research conducted in the Military University of Aviation concerning the problems of warfare use of unmanned aerial vehicles. It indicates the operational needs of the air force at the modern and future battlefield and the resulting requirements for unmanned aerial vehicles. The present paper outlines the areas of the potential applications and types of unmanned platforms useful for these tasks. It presents the technical and operational requirements and indicates the directions of future research necessary to expand the combat capabilities of these machines. It defines the potential groups of combat and support tasks that may be performed by unmanned aerial vehicles in the future. Conceptual solutions for the use of unmanned platforms at the battlefield and the problems of introducing new means of destruction and extending the autonomy and viability of the platforms are also presented in the present article.