AUGUST 2021AEROSPACEDEFENSEREVIEW.COM9and operation. The defence industry has experience of drone operation and control, which the civil industry can learn from. Equally though, civilian systems will have an element of open architecture, which defence would benefit from as more unmanned and autonomous systems join the fleet.3.Civilian Drones and their Mature Sustainable Propulsion SystemsThe explosion in the use of civilian drones is driven just as much by the simplicity of battery-electric powerplants as it is by the advances in digital technology. This has led us to the cusp of having large, passenger or freight-carrying zero-emission drones. It is no longer the case that the military can avoid the sustainability question; it is a challenge for all areas to reduce their carbon footprint to achieve Net Zero. The defence industry has much to learn from the civil industry on the art of the possible, and that is partly the reason why the US Air Force has recently commenced the Agility Prime competition to identify potential electric, vertical take-off aircraft for military use.4.Civilian Drones are becoming a Security ThreatJust as it was in the days of the Han dynasty, so today, any innovative technology can be weaponised. This is certainly true of drones, with commercially available drones modified by insurgent groups to carry bombs and by campaign groups to pose a danger to commercial aviation at airports. The increasing sophistication and capability of the commercial drones make them harder to intercept, and with growing autonomy, it is possible to program a drone to carry out a mission with no signals that can be intercepted. Further, as civilian drones increase in size and become capable of carrying passengers, the drones can become a target that must be protected too. This creates a conundrum; how do you ensure a large drone is protected from malicious attack, whilst also ensuring that a large drone being used in a malicious way can be neutralised?It's clear that a collaborative approach between the civilian and defence industries is the best way for the opportunities to be maximised and the challenges to be mitigated. Combining budgets can lead to joint development in unclassified areas, particularly in less sensitive applications such as logistics and transportation. However, there is a sting in the tail to be wary of. Whilst the use of drones by the military for passive roles is accepted, their high-profile use in offensive missions gives them a sinister, `big brother' feel­so much so that a `drones for good' movement has been created to highlight the important role drones are playing in society. This type of initiative is important to ensure that the two industries can collaborate and grow successfully side by side. A COLLABORATIVE APPROACH BETWEEN THE CIVILIAN AND DEFENCE INDUSTRIES IS THE BEST WAY FOR THE OPPORTUNITIES TO BE MAXIMISED AND THE CHALLENGES TO BE MITIGATED
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