This essay was written in 2016 as part of the syllabus requirement for the Qualified Aerospace Instructors Course run by the Air Training Corps.

1. H. A. Millar 2016 - The capabilities and potential of Remotely Piloted Air Systems.
Author: Hope Millar - 2016.
The capabilities and potential of Remotely Piloted Air Systems.
Remotely Piloted Air Systems have been around and in development from the early
2000’s, since their initial development, they have had a growing importance with
more and more demand for them and their technology.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) are known as drones. They are aircraft that are
piloted on the ground, away from the aircraft itself, i “Although drones are unmanned,
they are not unpiloted”.
iiA Remotely Piloted Air System is the combination of the Pilot, Sensor Operators,
RPA, Ground Control Station, Satellite communication links, Data links, associated
man power and support systems. Which all comes together in the ‘drone package’ to
deliver the overall capability.
Examples of UAVs are the MQ-9 Reaper Drone, the Predator and the RAF’s latest,
the Protector. Each have their own unique featured and capabilities that are specific
to a particular aircraft but others are more generalised.
For example, iii The Predator was originally designed for intelligence-gathering,
surveillance, identifying targets and reconnaissance.
iv The Reaper was designed as a "hunter-killer" system, equipped with four Hellfire
missiles and laser-guided Paveway II bombs and GBU-12. But can still carry out
reconnaissance roles. But RPAS have many other roles, for example: v RPAS are
used for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, providing vital information to
be used to support forces on the ground. They are capable of providing motion
photosensitive video and Synthetic Aperture Radar images, to develop situational
awareness and vi highlight change detection.
vii Drones have the enduring capability to provide persistent surveillance, which
allows for the building of an intelligence picture to enhance situation awareness of
personnel on the ground and aircrew.
The Military uses and capabilities of Remotely Piloted Air Systems include:
Reconnaissance, Armed Air Attack, viii Target training (aircraft converted into robotic

2. H. A. Millar 2016 - The capabilities and potential of Remotely Piloted Air Systems.
planes for use as aerial targets for combat training of human pilots), ix Surveying (oil,
gas and mineral exploration/production), x Disaster Relief, (through the gathering of
information from an affected area, in order to build a picture of the situation which
can be analysed in order for recommendations to be given.) These are just a few
examples of uses and capabilities, some Remotely Piloted Air Systems, like the
Reaper, can conduct strike operations against targets, which it identifies. It cannot
fire weapons of its own accordance, and can only conduct strikes, when instructed to
do so.
xi All drones, although unmanned, are not unpiloted, they are under the complete
control of aircrew, who steer the aircraft and analyse the images which the drone
relays to them, in order to make a well informed decision on whether or not to
conduct a strike. The Reaper is the only armed UK Remotely Piloted Air System, xii
equipped with two types of precision-guided weapons, a combination of AGM-114
Hellfire missiles, GBU-12 Paveway II and GBU-38 bombs, as stated above.
But these are all military uses, drones can do much more than be a ‘Predator’ or
‘Reaper’, beyond the military uses there are many other applications they can be
used for, for example, aerial surveying of crops xiii. Although this is not a military
aspect of Remotely Piloted Air Systems, it has great potential, and could
revolutionise civilian jobs.
Another example is the use of acrobatic aerial footage in filmmaking, the military
does currently use this feature, but on a much smaller scale. (Not including
reconnaissance.) This feature has huge potential in the military world, especially with
recruitment drives.
Search and rescue operations are also a potential in the military world, particularly in
areas where landing areas are dangerous and not worth risking lives.
In the non-military world, Remotely Piloted Air Systems are used for xiv counting
wildlife, this could be transferred into a military use. For example, with all the
refugees coming into Europe, it’s very difficult to monitor who exactly is coming in
and how many. A Remotely Piloted Air System, with a face recognition feature could
easily and inconspicuously monitor who was coming into the country, which could
actually catch out any known threats, such as terrorists.
Another use of Remotely Piloted Air Systems is the delivery of medical supplies to
remote or inaccessible areas, for example, earlier last year, the world was struck
hard with the Ebola crisis, UAVs could have been used to transport medical supplies
without spreading the infection. This feature has huge potential, and could be the
difference in saving lives and containing illness.
Further uses include xv reconnaissance operations which is a current military use of
Remotely Piloted Air Systems. xvi Border patrol missions, currently used in the US, xvii
convoy protection, forest fire detection and surveillance (another big military use).
There a loads of capabilities and uses of Remotely Piloted Air Systems and lots of
potential for the future.

3. H. A. Millar 2016 - The capabilities and potential of Remotely Piloted Air Systems.
Some Remotely Piloted Air Systems, such as the Reaper and Predator, have the
capability to take down enemies that lack sufficient air power or firepower to cut them
down, but they were not made for air-to-air combat, like the Typhoon or Tornado. xviii
Reapers and Predators, along with other UAVs were described as “useless in a
contested environment unless protected by manned aircraft” by The Chief of the Air
Combat Command, USA.
xix However in the future as a potential, UAVs may have the capability to perform a
variety of missions and tasks far beyond their present roles and uses.. The
Congressional Research report stated that Remotely Piloted Air Systems could have
the potential for resupply, combat search and rescue, aerial refuelling, and air-to-air
combat, which wasn’t a task originally allocated to UAVs, but when taken into
consideration, there is definitely potential.
xx The European Union stated that drone market share should go up at least 10% in
the next 10 years. Potentially streamlining research in the future and for use of
development efforts.
“Remotely Piloted Air System (RPAS) are growing in importance and the RAF
formed 39 Sqn at Creech Air Force Base in Nevada in 2007 to operate RAF MQ-9
PREDATOR B aircraft.”- RAF xxi
This is just an example of how important Remotely Piloted Air Systems are, and how
valued they are as an asset to the military. The UK purchased a number of Reaper
aircraft to support the UK ground forces in Afghanistan, because Remotely Piloted
Air Systems provide real-time video imagery which is relayed to ground commanders
and attack ground targets if necessary (with permission).
Drones, have a huge potential to make great rescue tools because they can observe
areas and visit locations where humans cannot go physically or safely. So they don’t
just have to be attack weapons, that can be rescue assets as well,
Because they are equipped with infrared cameras, they can potentially see beyond
what the human eye can see, which means information gathered will be more
accurate. They can even be used for tracking, xxii for example, the World Animal
Awareness Society, has stated that they will be using them in the future to track stray
animals (mostly dogs) because of Remotely Piloted Air Systems’ capabilities to map
areas, and also its rescue abilities (carrying some types of cargo).
Remotely Piloted Air Systems are a huge asset to have and be able to use, they are
capable of so many things, and have lots of potential for the future, however, with
greatness there are always flaws.
xxiiiThere are ethical and legal issues regarding the aircraft being piloted remotely.
Human rights groups and humanitarian organisations have highlighted the legalities
of their uses and have questioned that an armed remotely piloted air system for
combat operations may be unethical.
After all, it’s much easier to pull the trigger when you’re not there.

4. H. A. Millar 2016 - The capabilities and potential of Remotely Piloted Air Systems.
Remotely Piloted Air Systems are also quite costly, xxivthe original program cost over
£8 billion, and individually, Reapers cost £11.8 million. However many people argue
that the pros outweigh the cons, and personally, I believe that is the case.
So, in further conclusion, Remotely Piloted Air Systems, have many uses and
capabilities with a potential of further development which leads to a high probability
that both their role and deployment will increase.
i http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-10713898
ii http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmselect/cmdfence/611/611.pdf
iii http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-10713898
iv http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-10713898
v http://www.globalsecurity.org/intell/library/reports/2014/remotely-piloted-air-systems-vol2_uk-
hcdc_20140325.pdf
vi Sgt Matthew Bispham MC MA RM
vii http://www.globalsecurity.org/intell/library/reports/2014/remotely-piloted-air-systems-vol2_uk-
hcdc_20140325.pdf
viii "US Air Force successfully flies unmanned F-16, says robotic planes will only be used as 'target
practice'". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 26 September 2013
ix "Our UAV". Universal Wing. 28 July 2005.
x "Smart software uses drones to plot disaster relief". Newscientist.com
xi http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-10713898
xii http://www.af.mil/AboutUs/FactSheets/Display/tabid/224/Article/104470/mq-9-reaper.aspx
xiii Fung, Brian (16 August 2013). "Why drone makers have declared war on the word ‘drone’". The
Washington Post.
xiv Peterson, Andrea (19 August 2013). "States are competing to be the Silicon Valley of drones". The
Washington Post.
xv Abdessameud, Abdelkader, and Abdelhamid Tayebi. 2013. Motion Coordination for VTOL
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles: Attitude Synchronisation and Formation Control.
xvi Saska, M.; Vonasek, V.; Krajnik, T.; Preucil, L. Coordination and Navigation of Heterogeneous
UAVs-UGVs Teams Localized by a Hawk-Eye Approach. In Proceedings of 2012 IEEE/RSJ
International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems. 2012.
xvii Wall, Tyler, Monahan, Torin (2011). "Surveillance and Violence from Afar: The Politics of Drones
and Liminal Security-Scapes"
xviii Whitlock, Craig (13 November 2013). "Drone combat missions may be scaled back eventually, Air
Force chief says". The Washington Post.
xix 2012 Congressional Research Service (CRS) report
xx Kallas, Siim. "European Commission calls for tough standards to regulate civil drones" European
Commission, 8 April 2014
xxihttp://www.mktest.com/hpslider/innovators/raf-reaper-mq-9-remotely-piloted-air-system-2/
xxii "Drones Will Look For Stray Dogs In Houston". MSN. 26 March 2015.
xxiii http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmselect/cmdfence/772/77206.htm
xxiv General Atomics Aeronautical Systems