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Unmanned Aircraft Systems

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An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is an aircraft that carries no human pilot or passengers. UAVs—sometimes called drones—can be fully or partially autonomous but are more often controlled remotely by a human pilot. RAND research has contributed to the public discussion on the use of drones for warfare and surveillance.

Commentary
Can Cheap Drones Be the Answer to Tensions in the Taiwan Strait?
The more we learn about the war in Ukraine, the more we come to know that drones will play an increasingly important role on the modern battlefield. But how is the U.S. military thinking about what role these aircraft might play in future wars? When paired with modern sensors, could they offer an asymmetric advantage in future competitions?
Jun 29, 2023
Commentary
Coast Guard Leans Forward in New UxS Strategy but Faces Significant Challenges
The rise of unmanned systems creates a challenging landscape for the U.S. Coast Guard as it endeavors to conduct its diverse missions in the future. To address emerging technologies and prepare for forthcoming threats, the service recently released a strategic plan.
May 3, 2023

Explore Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

Commentary
Creating the Uncrewed-Centric Navy of the Mid–21st Century
The emergence of uncrewed technologies in all domains can enable the Navy to achieve greater capacity and operate in harm's way by avoiding over-concentration of combat power in too few assets. There is a need for relentlessly committed leadership that aims for an uncrewed-centric navy by mid-century, while integrating new and legacy assets to manage the long, gradual transition.
Nov 30, 2023
Commentary
Chinese Strategists Evaluate the Use of 'Kamikaze' Drones in the Russia-Ukraine War
Both Russia and Ukraine have used loitering munitions successfully in the current war, and China is watching closely. Chinese strategists are likely already considering how to refine offensive tactics and improve defensive countermeasures in the context of a Taiwan scenario.
Nov 7, 2023
Periodical
RAND Review: September-October 2023
Features explore the impact of four-day school weeks; the risk of people in the intelligence community experiencing trauma; and how insomnia affects societal health, well-being, and productivity.
Sep 11, 2023
Blog
Unidentified Aerial Phenomena, Neurodiversity, Russia's 'Forever War': RAND Weekly Recap
This weekly recap focuses on public reports of unidentified aerial phenomena, neurodiversity and national security, Ukraine's path to victory, and more.
Jul 28, 2023
Commentary
UFOs Are Not the Only Potential Threat in American Skies
How can the United States best monitor its millions of square miles of domestic airspace for unidentified anomalous phenomena—what were once called UFOs—or anything else? Public reporting could help officials identify potential threats—but it'd help if the sightings being reported were actually unknown aerial phenomena and not U.S. military aircraft.
Jul 25, 2023
Report
Where Are Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Sightings in the United States?
The February 2023 Chinese surveillance balloon incident raised questions about the degree to which the U.S. government knows who is flying what over its skies. Public reporting of unidentified aerial phenomena may help officials identify potential threats.
Jul 25, 2023
Commentary
Is the Warning Clock on Our National Defense Running Out?
The United States has never invoked a ten-year rule regarding preparations for long-term military competition with China, as Great Britain did after World War I. But there have been times when the United States has behaved as if such a rule were in place.
Jul 10, 2023
Journal Article
Aerial Minefields Can Put the 'Miss' in Missiles
The growing missile threat is the greatest tactical challenge of the early 21st century. Adversaries ranging from near-peer competitors to rebel groups increasingly can wield highly accurate missiles that can strike ships, ground forces, and key installations.
May 23, 2023
Commentary
What the Drone Strikes on the Kremlin Reveal About the War in Ukraine
False flag, special op, or fizzled attack—it may not be possible to get to the bottom of who launched drones at the Kremlin and why any time soon. But the incident and reactions it has elicited from the war's major players reveal just how important weaponized, long-range drones have become in this conflict.
May 4, 2023
Report
Characterizing the Uncrewed Systems Industrial Base
The Department of Defense has hypothesized that future demand for uncrewed systems (UxS) will strain the capacity of the defense industrial base (DIB). This report contains an analysis of UxS demand and recommendations on strengthening the DIB.
Apr 26, 2023
Report
Russia's Asymmetric Response to 21st Century Strategic Competition: Robotization of the Armed Forces
The authors explore Russian views on the military applications of robotics and artificial intelligence and how they differ from the United States' views on the matter. They assess whether Moscow has delivered -- or can deliver -- its robotization vision.
Mar 13, 2023
Report
Characterizing the Performance of Uncrewed Aircraft Systems
Analysts leveraged available data on performance of uncrewed aircraft system platforms to develop an approach to characterizing spray coverage as a function of payload, speed, endurance, and delivery and presenting performance parameters of interest.
Feb 6, 2023
Tool
Mapping Chinese and Russian Military and Security Exports to Africa
Military weapons exports and private military and security contractors are important tools for projecting a country's influence around the world. How have China and Russia employed these tools across Africa in recent years?
Dec 13, 2022
Commentary
'Wonder Weapons' Will Not Win Russia's War
With its army increasingly in shambles, Russia has turned to attacking Ukraine's civilian infrastructure with Iranian-made drones in an effort to destroy Ukrainians' will to fight. These tactics will inflict pain on the Ukrainian population, but if history is any guide, they will not forestall a Russian defeat.
Nov 10, 2022
Tool
Where Has China Sent Weapons and Security Contractors?
China exported weapons to 38 countries from 2018 to 2021. It also exported private security contractors to protect and secure its interests in other countries, such as mining facilities and ports. A map of the exports shows China's expansive influence across Asia and Africa and into Latin America.
Aug 19, 2022
Report
Supporting Combat Power Projection Away from Fixed Infrastructure
The authors examine the logistics and sustainment aspects of an emerging operational concept for employing a family of unmanned aerial vehicles that can be launched, recovered, and sustained with minimal reliance on runways.
Jan 26, 2022
Commentary
Opportunities for the Brazilian Navy to Employ Additional Unmanned Systems
The Brazilian Navy needs to have both the capabilities and capacity to meet a wide range of demands over vast and diverse geographic areas. What are some of the potential ways the Brazilian Navy could use unmanned systems to improve effectiveness and, potentially, reduce risks and costs?
Aug 10, 2021
Report
Assessing the Value of Intelligence Collected by U.S. Air Force Airborne Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Platforms
Commanders, planners, and operators across the U.S. Air Force's intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) enterprise face difficult decisions about how to best meet ISR needs. How can the U.S. Air Force better assess the value of airborne ISR?
Jun 11, 2021

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RAND Topic:
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

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