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History Of Drones (Unnamed Aerial vehicle )
Introduction:
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), or drones, are aircraft that fly without a human pilot on board. Their history started a few century ago, beginning with military use in World War I, when early UAVs like the Kettering Bug (1918) were designed to act as flying bombs. By World War II, the Radio plane Q-2 became the first mass-produced UAV, mainly used for training. During the Cold War (1950s-1980s), UAVs like the Ryan Model 147 Fire bee were used for intelligence gathering. By the 1990s, UAVs such as the MQ-1 Predator revolutionized military operations with real-time surveillance and missile strikes. In the 2000s and 2010s, drone technology advanced rapidly. Civilian drones became popular, with companies like DJI leading the industry in aerial photography and commercial applications. Today, UAVs are used in delivery services, emergency response, space exploration (NASA’s Ingenuity on Mars), and even urban air mobility with flying taxis.
Inventors:
Nikola Tesla (1898) – Early Remote Control Concept
• In 1898, Nikola Tesla demonstrated a radio-controlled boat, which laid the foundation for remote-controlled vehicles, including drones.
Archibald Low (1916) – The First Military Drone
British engineer Archibald Low developed the first pilotless aircraft during World War I, known as the Aerial Target. It used radio control, but the project was not widely adopted.
Charles Kettering (1917) – The First True UAV
During World War I, Charles Kettering, an American engineer, designed the Kettering Bug, an early unmanned aerial bomb. Though never used in combat, it was an important step toward modern drones.
Abraham Karem (1970s) – The Father of Modern
Drones
Abraham Karem, an aerospace engineer originally from Israel, is known as the father of modern drones. In the 1970s, he developed the Albatross and later the Gnat, which became the basis for the MQ-1 Predator drone used by the U.S. military.
Frank Wang (2006-Present) – Consumer Drone/ Revolution
• Frank Wang, the founder of DJI, is credited with making drones. His company introduced affordable, high-performance consumer drones, such as the DJI Phantom, which revolutionised industries like photography, mapping, and delivery. One of his most famously known drone is the Mavic 3 Pro
More about Frank Wang:
• He started to like remote controlled helicopters when he was a kid. He got a scar from a cut when he was flying his remote controlled helicopter. It was his scar that lead him to a really successful Company. He started his business DJI after University and he then started to develop it.
