Rise of the Drones

From The Week:

Engineers are working to make drones self-sufficient, so they can repair themselves if disabled. Drones are also becoming increasingly deadly. There are now 28 Reapers, the successor to the Predator, in the U.S. Air Force. Each is capable of flying at 50,000 feet, carrying up to 14 Hellfire missiles, and using infrared sensors to distinguish the “heat signatures” of rocket launchers, anti-aircraft guns, and other firepower on the ground. The Government Accountability Office envisions a future in which drones can remain aloft for months, using fuel cells or airborne refueling. “These systems today are very much Model T Fords,” says defense analyst P.W. Singer. “These things will only get more advanced.”