Tossing Eyes in the Sky
In Hawaii, U.S. Army Sergeant Michael Tacket throws a Puma unmanned aerial vehicle into the air like a javelin. The military uses little drones like this one for reconnaissance, but civilian agencies are making more and more use of them to survey forest fires, look for lost hikers, or monitor endangered species. The Federal Aviation Administration has been tasked with creating systems and rules that will allow drones to be integrated into civilian airspace within the next few years. Air & Space contributor James Chiles investigated how, and for what purpose, drones like the Puma are coming to the skies near you in our new cover story, Drones for Hire.
Image: DoD (Sgt. Hillary Rustine, U.S. Army)
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