The Significance of Unmanned Ariel Vehicle (UAV) in Maritime Surveillance and Reconnaissance
Author : Rubiat Saimum
01 Dec 2021

'Drone' has become a 'buzzword' in public discourse. The term has been popularized in mainstream media because of its extensive use in anti-terror operations in high-risk conflict zones worldwide. While colloquially the term drone is used more often, the technical term for such aircraft is 'Unmanned Ariel Vehicle' or UAV. Historically, UAVs have been deployed on battlefields for more than a century. UAVs' first known use for military purposes occurred in 1849 when Austria attacked Venice with an Unmanned Ariel balloon. Several types of UAVs were also in operation during the cold war. However, the UAVs became a regular element in warfare in the first Gulf War- a total of 522 drones were launched during the conflict over 1600 flying hours. Today, a third of the total aircraft are UAVs of different types. With the modernization of technologies, UAVs are rapidly replacing conventional aircraft.