Flying fodder for guns and missiles: the ideal defence product is one which offers a good profit margin, a support element and is frequently consumed and thus requires replacement. The target drone must be regarded as one of the leading candidates for this enviable label, although strictly it applies to the upper end of the market.

Summary

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Unmanned Flight

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Flying fodder for guns and missiles: the ideal defence product is one which offers a good profit margin, a support element and is frequently consumed and thus requires replacement. The target drone must be regarded as one of the leading candidates for this enviable label, although strictly it applies to the upper end of the market.

Drones have existed since before the Second World War, Royal Navy systems having a dial `spin' function to ensure they fell from the sky after being bracketed by anti-aircraft fire even when the shells inflicted no damage. A target drone is an unmanned aircraft usually under remote control which is designed to replicate the performance of manned combat aircraft, and the modern drone market is an extraordinary versatile one which encompasses everything from models to real aircraft.

They are used by more than 50 countries for both training and testing. At the lowest end of the training regime are the simple, low fidelity systems designed to give infantry and base defence forces target practice using automatic, rifle-calibre weapons and light cannon against air targ...

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