By IANS,
Sydney : UAVs, or unmanned aerial vehicles, used with deadly precision in war-torn Iraq and Afghanistan, are likely to be adapted to civilian work within the next decade.
New research indicates that robotic, or pilot-less, planes will be commonplace within five to 10 years and make manned flights seem passe.
For example, Rod Walker of Queensland University of Technology (QUT) said recent trials have looked at using automated planes for fisheries and border protection in the Cape York area.
“These successful trials broke new ground and will help push ahead with the civilian applications,” he said.
He said the thrust of QUT research is looking at making robotic planes reliable and safe for their use in more domestic settings.
He predicts UAVs will soon be used for border protection and flying up and down the coast of North Queensland within five years.
Walker presented his research at a public forum in Cairns June 5.