Washington, D.C. - Those high definition personal cameras often used in extreme-action video photography are just the beginning. In the near future we may see everything from brooms to vacuum cleaners delivered by way of drone. Its a matter of time before drone applications (apps) become normal, or at least commonplace to us. The FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) will be attempting to integrate drones into United States airspace, if they can safely do so away from commercial airline flights. The FAA's next major step is expected later this year, when the agency says it will publish rules and requirements for drones weighing less than 55 pounds.
Drone flights are controlled automatically by on-board computers or by the remote control of a pilot on the ground. Historically, UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) were simply remotely piloted aircraft (RPA). Now, autonomous (independent with the ability to make its own decisions) control is becoming more popular.
The concept of a UAV dates back to the mid-1800s when Austrians ( a country next door to Germany) sent unmanned bomb-filled balloons to attack Venice, Italy. The UAVs we see today started innovation in the early 1900s and were originally used for target practice to train military personnel. One of the best known and widely used drones (called drone for the bee-like buzzing sound the engine made) was the 1940s Nazi-German V-1 that flew autonomously by jet power. The V-1's successor was the V-2. The V-2 was rocket powered and could travel substantial more distance than the V-1. See also, www.aviationweek.com.
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