With today’s expanding use of drones in various industries such as photography, videography, delivery of goods, research, and military applications, it is essential to understand that this is not a new invention. The history of drones dates back several decades and has come a long way, transforming into an innovative device that finds use in many areas of our lives.
The first references to the use of drones date back to 1849 when an Austrian military engineer, Lieutenant Adolf Gabor, developed a plan for a manned aircraft, later known as a balloon bomber. The idea was to release a balloon with bubbles containing truncated canonical projectiles to drop them on enemies. Though this concept was far from modern drones, it can be considered the first step towards the development of unmanned aerial vehicles.
In the following decades, inventors worldwide focused on creating multifunctional devices that could operate without the presence of a pilot. One of the first successful attempts was the invention of an automatic controller – a meter, developed by electrical engineer Nikola Tesla in 1898. This device used radio waves to send commands directly to the drone, marking an important step in the development of drones.
In the 1920s, the first practical unmanned aerial vehicle was created in Italy by aeronautical engineer Jakob Boller. He developed a remotely controlled craft capable of exploding but was primarily used for guiding and training artillery shells.
During World War II, there was a significant deployment of unmanned aerial vehicles. British inventor Archibald Lowe put much effort into developing an unmanned aerial vehicle for military use. The USA also worked on the “Aerial Torpedo” project, which included a ground-controlled anti-aircraft weapon used against the enemy.
In the 1960s, the United States began using unmanned aerial vehicles to conduct reconnaissance on military targets in different countries. This technology developed rapidly, and many countries, including Russia and China, started actively using drones for their needs. Drones gradually became available for civilian use, and their innovative capabilities made them indispensable in various industries such as agriculture, environmental research, rescue operations, and more.
Today, drones continue to transform our way of life and work. Their use in combination with smart technologies, artificial intelligence, and autonomy is constantly expanding. We can expect drones to play an even more critical role in our lives in the future, impacting various industries and helping us realize previously unreachable opportunities.