Unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and innovation

The importance of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) in the United States military grew steadily beginning in the mid-1990s and then exponentially during the War on Terror. Though UAS had been used effectively in combat as early as the Second World War, it was only with the confluence of technological development and the shifting geopolitical currents of the 1990s that UAS have emerged as a transformational asset as part of an ongoing Revolution in Military Affairs (RMA). This study will examine the historical development of UAS to identify the trends that contributed to the success of the modern UAS. Likewise, technological and corporate innovation theories will be considered in order to identify the most effective practices in UAS development and predict areas of future growth. Finally, this study will outline the challenges facing current and future UAS development.