Original subtitles

Narrator: FROM SCIENCE FICTION TO A NICHE TECHNOLOGY...

Man: WE REALLY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WE WERE GETTING INTO.

Narrator: ...TO THE WAVE OF THE FUTURE.

Janet Shamlian: AMAZON IS MAKING BIG PROMISES

ABOUT EVEN FASTER DELIVERY IN THE FUTURE, USING DRONES.

Narrator: DRONES CAN BE TRAINED TO DO ANYTHING...

EVEN KILL.

Man: THE WEAPON FOLLOWS THAT LASER ENERGY

ALL THE WAY TO THE ENEMY.

Narrator: NOW, WE BRING YOU

THE INSIDE STORY OF A REVOLUTION...

Lester Holt: THE USE OF UNMANNED DRONES

IS BECOMING MORE AND MORE COMMON.

Narrator: ...THAT FILLS THE SKIES WITH ENDLESS EYES.

Man: YOU'RE GOING TO GET THE LANDSCAPE OF EVERYTHING.

Narrator: THE FUTURE OF FLYING ROBOTS IS HERE.

Man: WE MANAGED TO CHANGE A LOT OF MINDS

ABOUT WHAT A DRONE, UNMANNED AIRCRAFT CAN DO.

[EXPLOSION]

Narrator: SEPTEMBER 11, 2001.

THE UNITED STATES IS UNDER SIEGE.

Reporter: A MAJOR DISASTER

IS OCCURRING IN NEW YORK CITY THIS MORNING.

Narrator: AL QAEDA MILITANTS

TURN FOUR COMMERCIAL AIRLINERS INTO FLYING BOMBS.

Tom Brokaw: THOUSANDS LIKELY DEAD.

DOWNTOWN NEW YORK IN CHAOS.

SCORES OF POLICE, FIREFIGHTERS WERE IN THE AREA

WHEN THE BUILDINGS CAME DOWN.

Narrator: SUSPICION QUICKLY FALLS

ON AL QAEDA MASTERMIND OSAMA BIN LADEN.

HE HIDES IN AFGHANISTAN.

THE U.S. AND ITS ALLIES PUT A WAR PLAN INTO ACTION.

THEY CALL IT OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM.

President Bush: ON MY ORDERS

THE UNITED STATES MILITARY HAS BEGUN STRIKES

AGAINST AL QAEDA TERRORIST TRAINING CAMPS

AND MILITARY INSTALLATIONS OF THE TALIBAN REGIME

IN AFGHANISTAN.

Narrator: IT LOOKS LIKE THE WAR WILL GO BY THE BOOK:

AIR STRIKES WITH GROUND TROOPS SOON TO FOLLOW.

BUT THE AIR FORCE ALSO SENDS A NEW SECRET WEAPON:

THE PREDATOR.

THE PREDATOR...

IT'S THE MOST COMBAT-PROVEN REMOTELY PILOTED AIRCRAFT

IN THE WORLD...

A MACHINE DESIGNED TO PUT FEAR IN THE SKY.

Jim Cluff: WE ARE STANDING IN FRONT

OF THE GENERAL ATOMICS-BUILT MQ-1 PREDATOR,

OR WHAT IS COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS THE DRONE.

BUT WE IN THE AIR FORCE REFER TO THIS

AS A REMOTELY PILOTED AIRCRAFT.

Narrator: THE PREDATOR IS 27 FEET LONG, 55 FEET WIDE,

AND 2,200 POUNDS...

SO LIGHT THAT IT ONLY NEEDS A FOUR-CYLINDER ROTAX ENGINE.

Jim Cluff: IN ADDITION TO PROPELLING PREDATORS,

ROTAX ALSO MAKES SNOWMOBILE ENGINES.

SO MANY OF YOU MAY HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN RIDING ON A MACHINE

THAT ALSO POWERS A PREDATOR.

Narrator: ITS MAX SPEED IS JUST 135 MILES PER HOUR.

BUT THE PREDATOR DOESN'T NEED TO GET ANYWHERE FAST.

WHEN THE AIR FORCE WANTS ONE, THEY JUST SEND IT IN A BOX.

Cluff: WE CAN PACK IT UP AND TAKE IT WHEREVER WE NEED TO GO.

THE WINGS COME OFF,

AND WE SLIDE IT INTO WHAT WE CALL THE CASKET.

WE PUT THE TOP ON IT,

PUT IT ON A C-130 OR A BIGGER AIRPLANE,

AND IT CAN BE FLOWN ANYWHERE AROUND THE WORLD.

Narrator: OCTOBER 7, 2001.

AFGHANISTAN.

THE FIRST DAY OF THE WAR.

20,000 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND,

A PREDATOR MAKES ITS WAY ACROSS THE SKY.

Scott Swanson: WE HAD BEGUN FLYING MISSIONS IN AFGHANISTAN

AS EARLY AS THE MIDDLE OF SEPTEMBER

IN PREPARATION FOR THE AIR WAR.

Narrator: MAJOR SCOTT SWANSON

WAS THE LEAD PILOT FOR THE PREDATOR PROGRAM.

Swanson: WE WERE PROVIDING INTELLIGENCE AND RECONNAISSANCE

FOR THOSE STRIKE FORCES COMING IN.

WE WERE LOOKING AT THINGS

LIKE THE ACTIVITY AT THE AIR DEFENSE SITES,

THE RADARS, THE MISSILES, TROOP MOVEMENTS,

THE FIGHTER ACTIVITY...

ALL OF THE PIECES AND PARTS THAT GO TOGETHER

FOR A CONVENTIONAL AIR WAR.

Narrator: THE PREDATOR'S DOING SOMETHING ELSE, TOO:

LOOKING FOR TERRORISTS.

TODAY'S ITS LUCKY DAY.

Swanson: RELATIVELY LATE IN THE MORNING

WE WERE GIVEN A SET OF COORDINATES TO GO CHECK OUT.

SURE ENOUGH, WHEN WE GOT THERE,

WE WERE ABLE TO LOCATE A CONVOY THAT ENDED UP BEING MULLAH OMAR,

THE LEADER OF THE TALIBAN.

WE KNEW THAT WE HAD A HIGH-VALUE TARGET.

Narrator: MULLAH MOHAMMAD OMAR

IS ONE OF OSAMA BIN LADEN'S TOP ALLIES.

THERE'S A $10 MILLION BOUNTY ON HIS HEAD.

Swanson: WE SAW SECURITY DETAILS,

VEHICLES, ARMED GUARDS...

EVERYTHING THAT TOLD US THAT THIS WAS SOMEBODY IMPORTANT.

Narrator: FOR SWANSON,

FINDING OMAR IS A CASE OF DEJA VU.

HE'S HAD A TERRORIST LEADER IN HIS SIGHTS BEFORE.

Swanson: IT WAS THE FALL OF 2000,

AND WE'D BEEN FLYING PREDATOR MISSIONS

DEEP INTO AFGHANISTAN

AND SAW A GROUP OF PEOPLE GATHERING

AND A VERY TALL MAN IN WHITE EXIT ONE OF THE BUILDINGS.

IT WAS REALLY OBVIOUS TO THOSE OF US WATCHING

THAT IT HAD TO BE OSAMA BIN LADEN.

Narrator: BIN LADEN IS ONE OF AMERICA'S

TEN MOST-WANTED TERRORISTS.

FINDING HIM SHOULD BE A MOMENT OF TRIUMPH.

BUT ALL SWANSON CAN DO IS WATCH.

Swanson: UNFORTUNATELY, WE WERE NOT ARMED,

SO NOTHING HAPPENED.

Narrator: IT'S A MISTAKE THAT THE PENTAGON

IS DETERMINED NOT TO MAKE AGAIN.

Swanson: THE PROGRAM TO ARM THE PREDATOR

WAS ALREADY IN PROGRESS,

BUT IT WAS ROLLING ALONG VERY SLOWLY.

THE ABILITY TO PUT EYES ON TARGET

AND NOT BEING ABLE TO DO ANYTHING

WAS A REAL IMPETUS TO FAST-TRACK THE ARMING OF THE PREDATOR.

Narrator: THE PREDATOR WAS INVENTED FOR SURVEILLANCE.

BUT THE UPDATED VERSION IS DESIGNED TO LIVE UP TO ITS NAME.

IT HUNTS AND KILLS.

Cluff: IT'S A MULTI-ROLE AIRCRAFT.

IN SOME CASES MULTI-ROLE MEANS USING IT

FOR INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE.

BUT IN OTHER CASES IT MEANS USING WEAPONS

TO SUPPORT MEN AND WOMEN ON THE GROUND OVERSEAS.

Narrator: ITS WEAPON OF CHOICE: HELLFIRE.

[POP]

Man: ITEM AWAY, ITEM AWAY.

Cluff: THE MQ-1B PREDATOR HAS TWO WEAPONS STATIONS

AND CAN CARRY TWO AGM-114 HELLFIRE MISSILES.

THESE MISSILES ARE LOADED ON AN M-299 LAUNCHER,

AND THE MISSILES EASILY SLIDE ONTO THE LAUNCHER.

Narrator: TWO PEOPLE CONTROL THE PREDATOR:

A PILOT

AND A SENSOR OPERATOR IN CHARGE OF TARGETING.

Cluff: THE PILOT IS ALSO CONSIDERED

THE MISSION COMMANDER.

HE IS RESPONSIBLE

FOR THE OVERALL EFFECTIVE CONDUCT OF THE MISSION,

TO INCLUDE THE RELEASE OF WEAPONS.

THE SENSOR OPERATOR

CONTROLS THE VARIOUS SENSOR PACKAGES ON THE AIRPLANE

TO INCLUDE THE MULTI-SPECTRAL TARGETING SYSTEM, OR MTS BALL.

Narrator: THIS MULTI-SPECTRAL TARGETING SYSTEM

IS AT THE HEART OF ALL THE PREDATOR'S OPERATIONS.

HERE'S HOW IT WORKS.

THE PREDATOR AIMS A LASER OR INFRARED BEAM

FROM THE MTS BALL

LOCATED NEAR THE NOSE OF THE PLANE.

THIS BEAM LANDS ON THE TARGET AND PULSES

TO ATTRACT THE LASER SEEKERS

AT THE END OF EACH HELLFIRE MISSILE.

THE PREDATOR USES THE BEAM

TO CALCULATE TRAJECTORY AND DISTANCE.

Cluff: WE CALL THAT LASING THE TARGET.

THAT LASING INFORMATION IS VERY ACCURATE, DOWN TO FEET.

THAT INFORMATION IS PUMPED BACK TO THE WEAPON,

THE WEAPON IS RELEASED OFF THE AIRPLANE,

AND THEN THE WEAPON FOLLOWS THAT LASER ENERGY

ALL THE WAY TO THE ENEMY.

[EXPLOSIONS]

Narrator: IN 2001,

CAPTAIN SWANSON AND HIS SENSOR OPERATOR

MONITOR THEIR PREDATOR FROM A NORTHERN VIRGINIA BUNKER.

7,000 MILES AWAY IN AFGHANISTAN,

THE DRONE HOVERS OVER TALIBAN LEADER MULLAH OMAR'S COMPOUND.

ON BOARD: TWO HELLFIRE MISSILES.

IT'S A TWO-PUNCH SYSTEM NEVER BEFORE TESTED IN BATTLE.

Swanson: WE WERE OPERATING A SYSTEM

THAT STILL HAD ROUGH EDGES.

WE WERE ESSENTIALLY TEST PILOTS FLYING IN COMBAT.

Narrator: SUDDENLY, OMAR AND HIS BODYGUARDS

STEP OUT OF THE BUILDING.

THEY CLIMB INTO A CAR AND HEAD TOWARD TOWN.

Swanson: THE SENSOR OPERATOR WORKED VERY HARD

TO KEEP THE VEHICLES IN FOCUS AND ON THE SCREEN.

I'M TRYING TO KEEP THE AIRCRAFT POSITIONED

SO THAT HE HAS THE BEST ABILITY TO SEE THE TARGET AT THIS TIME,

AND IT REALLY BECAME A GAME OF CAT AND MOUSE WITH THE CAMERA.

WE FOLLOWED THAT VEHICLE OUT INTO A COMPOUND.

HE AND HIS PARTY WENT INSIDE,

AND A SECURITY DETAIL REMAINED OUTSIDE.

Narrator: THE PREDATOR CONTINUES TO CIRCLE,

EXPECTING AIR FORCE F-14s TO COME IN AND FINISH THE JOB.

Swanson: WE THOUGHT THAT AT THIS POINT

AIR STRIKE WOULD BE CALLED IN

IN ORDER TO TAKE OUT THIS HIGH-VALUE TARGET.

Narrator: BUT THE FAST-FLYING JETS

AND THEIR THOUSAND-POUND BOMBS

MAY PUT INNOCENT LIVES AT RISK.

Swanson: CENTRAL COMMAND

HAD SPOTTED SOMETHING IN THE COMPOUND

THAT WAS A CONCERN IN REGARDS TO COLLATERAL DAMAGE,

AND THE STRIKERS WERE HELD OFF.

IT WAS AT THAT POINT THAT THE COMMAND CAME DOWN

TO EXECUTE A STRIKE USING THE HELLFIRE MISSILES

THAT WE CARRIED ON THE WINGS OF THE PREDATOR.

Narrator: SWANSON AND HIS SENSOR OPERATOR

GET READY TO FIRE.

Swanson: THERE WAS A QUIET TENSION

IN THE GROUND CONTROL STATION.

IT WAS A SYSTEM THAT HAD NEVER BEEN PROVEN IN COMBAT BEFORE.

Narrator: IF THE PREDATOR'S MISSILES

TAKE INNOCENT LIVES,

THE ENTIRE DRONE PROGRAM WILL COME UNDER FIRE.

IF THEY SUCCEED, THEY WILL MAKE HISTORY.

Man: READY TO FIRE LEFT MISSILE

IN THREE, TWO, ONE.

Narrator: IN AFGHANISTAN,

A PREDATOR HOVERS 20,000 FEET

ABOVE TERRORIST MULLAH MOHAMMAD OMAR.

THOUSANDS OF MILES AWAY,

CAPTAIN SCOTT SWANSON AND HIS SENSOR OPERATOR

BEGIN A COUNTDOWN.

Man: READY FIRE MISSILE, LASERS COMING ON.

Swanson: THE SENSOR OPERATOR HAD THE SECURITY DETAIL

ON THE CROSSHAIRS ON THE SENSOR BALL.

I'M GETTING READY TO GO THROUGH THE SWITCH POSITIONS

TO RELEASE THE HELLFIRE.

Man: READY TO FIRE LEFT MISSILE.

THREE, TWO, ONE.

Swanson: I SQUEEZED THE TRIGGER,

AND THE HELLFIRE WAS OFF THE RAIL.

YOU DON'T SEE ANYTHING

UNTIL THE IMPACT OF THE MISSILE ON THE TARGET.

[EXPLOSION]

AND AT THAT POINT THE HEAT OF THE EXPLOSION FILLS THE SCENE.

Narrator: THE HELLFIRE WIPES OUT OMAR'S ENTOURAGE.

OMAR HIMSELF ESCAPES.

Swanson: THE EMOTIONAL BOND ON A MISSION LIKE THAT

ISN'T ANY DIFFERENT

THAN SOME OF THE HELICOPTER MISSIONS THAT I FLEW

THAT YOU COULD SEE, SMELL, AND LITERALLY TASTE

WHAT WAS GOING ON.

YOU ARE 100% EMOTIONALLY INVOLVED.

Narrator: SWANSON'S MISSION

IS THE FIRST TIME AN UNMANNED AIRCRAFT

USES A HELLFIRE IN COMBAT.

IT USHERS IN A NEW ERA:

THE ERA OF THE DRONE.

Swanson: WE KNEW AMONGST OURSELVES

THAT THIS WAS A LEAP IN TECHNOLOGY.

THERE WOULD BE MANY MORE IN THE COMING DAYS OF THE WAR.

Narrator: DRONES:

NO TECHNOLOGY IN THE LAST 10 YEARS

HAS CAPTURED THE PUBLIC'S IMAGINATION, AND ITS FEAR,

SO RAPIDLY.

SUDDENLY, THESE FLYING ROBOTS SEEM TO BE EVERYWHERE.

THEY'RE IN THE HANDS OF THE MILITARY...

AND CIVILIANS.

BUT UNMANNED AIRCRAFT ARE FAR FROM AN OVERNIGHT SENSATION.

Roger Connor: DRONES GO BACK TO THE DAWN OF POWERED FLIGHT,

EVEN BEFORE THE BEGINNING OF THE 20th CENTURY.

Narrator: ROGER CONNOR

IS THE UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS CURATOR

FOR THE NATIONAL AIR AND SPACE MUSEUM.

Connor: THEY GO BACK TO SAMUEL LANGLEY,

WHO WAS SECRETARY OF THE SMITHSONIAN IN THE 1890s

AND A PREMIER AERONAUTICAL RESEARCHER OF THE TIME.

Narrator: IN THE 1890s,

LANGLEY DEVELOPS A SERIES OF EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT.

THEY'RE WOOD, SILK, AND PERCALINE FABRIC,

HELD TOGETHER BY WIRE.

HE CALLS THEM AERODROMES...

GREEK FOR "AIR RUNNERS."

Connor: ON MAY 6, 1896,

SAMUEL LANGLEY'S AERODROME 5

WAS LAUNCHED FROM A HOUSEBOAT ANCHORED IN THE POTOMAC RIVER.

THIS UNGUIDED AND STEAM-POWERED AIRCRAFT

ACHIEVED A DISTANCE OF NEARLY HALF A MILE.

Narrator: IT'S THE LONGEST FLIGHT

OF AN UNPILOTED MOTORIZED AIRCRAFT.

LANGLEY TRIES TO KEEP HIS AERODROMES IN THE PUBLIC EYE,

BUT RIVALS ECLIPSE HIS EFFORTS.

Connor: LANGLEY TENDED TO DISAPPEAR INTO THE BACKGROUND

FAIRLY QUICKLY

AFTER THE WRIGHT BROTHERS' FLIGHT AT KITTY HAWK.

BEING ABLE TO HAVE A HUMAN IN THE AIRCRAFT

IS WHAT GETS THE ATTENTION.

Narrator: BY WORLD WAR I,

MANNED FLIGHT IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF BATTLEFIELD TACTICS...

BUT AT HIGH RISK TO THE PILOTS.

SOME WONDER IF THE BEST WAY TO PREVENT THE LOSS OF AIRMEN

IS TO REMOVE THE PILOT ALTOGETHER.

Connor: THERE WERE A HANDFUL OF INNOVATORS

WHO WERE LOOKING FOR AN ALTERNATIVE

THAT WOULD NOT BE VULNERABLE TO AIR DEFENSES IN THE SAME WAY

THAT THE MANNED AIRCRAFT WERE.

Narrator: ONE OF THOSE INNOVATORS

IS CHARLES KETTERING.

THE MILITARY ENLISTS HIM IN A TOP SECRET PROJECT:

TO DESIGN AN UNMANNED AIRCRAFT THAT CAN ACT AS A FLYING BOMB.

THE AIRCRAFT IS CALLED "THE KETTERING BUG."

Connor: THE KETTERING BUG LAUNCHED

BY ROLLING DOWN A TRACK ON A DOLLY.

WHEN IT BECAME AIRBORNE,

AN AUTOPILOT STEERED IT ON A CONSTANT COMPASS HEADING.

A TIMER ON BOARD WAS SET

SO THAT WHEN IT TRAVELED A CERTAIN DISTANCE,

THE ENGINE WOULD CUT OUT

AND IT WOULD FALL FROM THE SKY WITH ITS LOAD OF EXPLOSIVES.

Narrator: THE TECHNOLOGY IS REVOLUTIONARY...

WHEN IT WORKS.

Connor: IN REALITY, THEY WERE NEVER ABLE TO ACHIEVE

THEIR OBJECTIVE OF GOING LONG DISTANCES.

AT ABOUT THE TIME THAT THEY WERE DEVELOPING THIS,

MANNED BOMBERS HAD BEGUN TO MATURE

AND WERE MORE FAR CAPABLE

THAN ANYTHING THAT COULD BE DONE WITH AN UNMANNED AIRCRAFT.

THIS ESSENTIALLY MADE THE WHOLE KETTERING BUG IDEA OBSOLETE.

Narrator: IT ISN'T LONG BEFORE UNMANNED AIRCRAFT

ARE BACK ON THE AGENDA.

THIS TIME, IT'S THE DRONES THAT ARE THE TARGET.

Connor: THE YEARS LEADING UP TO WORLD WAR II

SAW A RESURGENCE

IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF UNMANNED AIRCRAFT.

THE PRIMARY MOTIVATION EARLY ON

WAS THEIR USE IN TRAINING ANTI-AIRCRAFT GUNNERS.

Narrator: THE MILITARY TAKES OBSOLETE FIGHTER PLANES,

ADDS RADIO CONTROL SYSTEMS,

AND BLOWS THEM UP.

Connor: TARGET DRONES WERE THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY

OF TRAINING ANTI-AIRCRAFT GUNNERS

AND GIVING REALISTIC TARGETS TO PILOTS AND CREWS ON THE GROUND.

[GUNFIRE]

Narrator: RADIO CONTROLLERS GUIDE THESE AIRCRAFT.

AT FIRST THEY FLY BLIND,

BUT BY WORLD WAR II, THEY HAVE EYES.

Connor: TELEVISION HAD BEGIN DEVELOPING.

IT WAS NOW EFFECTIVE ENOUGH AND SMALL ENOUGH

TO ACTUALLY PUT IN AIRCRAFT OR EVEN MISSILE SYSTEMS.

IT QUICKLY BECAME THE PRIMARY EYES OF THE DRONE.

Narrator: THE WAR DEPARTMENT RUSHES

TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE NEW TECHNOLOGY.

THEY REQUEST AN ASSAULT DRONE.

THE PRIMARY USER: THE NAVY.

THE PROTOTYPES:

THE TDR AND TDN-1.

MARCH 1944.

THE NAVY DEPLOYS THE NEW DRONE IN THE PACIFIC.

ITS TARGET: JAPANESE SHIPS.

ONCE THE DRONE IS AIRBORNE,

A PILOT FLYING IN A NEARBY BOMBER

TAKES CONTROL.

A CAMERA IN THE DRONE'S NOSE

SENDS A SIGNAL TO A 5-INCH TV SCREEN

IN THE BOMBER'S REAR COCKPIT.

Connor: THIS AIRCRAFT WOULD HAVE AN OPERATOR IN THE BACK.

HE COULD BE THE BRAINS OF THE GUIDANCE SYSTEM,

AND HE WOULD ACTUALLY STEER IT VISUALLY,

USING THE TELEVISION IMAGE.

Narrator: THE DRONE CAN BE CONTROLLED

FROM UP TO EIGHT MILES AWAY.

IT CAN CARRY A TORPEDO OR A 2,000-POUND BOMB.

[EXPLOSION]

ONCE IT'S DONE ITS DAMAGE,

THE TDR-1 DOES SOMETHING REVOLUTIONARY.

IT RETURNS.

Connor: THE INTERSTATE TDR-1

WAS THE FIRST ASSAULT DRONE

THAT WAS REALLY DESIGNED FROM THE OUTSET TO BE REUSABLE.

SO THIS WAS A MODERN DRONE

IN THAT IT COULD ALSO BE RECOVERED AND REUSED.

Narrator: THE NAVY HAS HIGH HOPES,

BUT THE RESULT IS NOT IMPRESSIVE.

THE DRONES HIT JUST 50% OF THEIR TARGETS.

Connor: CONVENTIONAL AIRPLANES AND BOMBS

WERE STILL THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY OF ATTACKING THE ENEMY.

IN TERMS OF WHAT WE UNDERSTAND

AS A UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE OR DRONE TODAY,

THAT IDEA DEVELOPED A LOT MORE SLOWLY

DURING THE COLD WAR ERA.

Narrator: MAY 1960.

THE UNITED STATES SENDS RECONNAISSANCE PLANES OUT

OVER SOVIET AIRSPACE.

Connor: THE PRIMARY RECONNAISSANCE AIRCRAFT

AT THAT TIME

WAS THE LOCKHEED U-2 SPY PLANE.

THE U-2 WAS VERY CAPABLE,

BUT IT WAS ALSO VERY VULNERABLE.

Narrator: THE U.S. FINDS JUST HOW VULNERABLE

WHEN ONE OF ITS MULTI-MILLION-DOLLAR SPY PLANES

GETS SHOT DOWN.

Connor: WHEN FRANCIS GARY POWERS WAS SHOT DOWN IN HIS U-2,

THE AIR FORCE REALIZED THEY NOW HAD A SIGNIFICANT PROBLEM

IN TERMS OF THEIR RECONNAISSANCE PROGRAM.

Narrator: WITHIN DAYS,

THE PENTAGON LAUNCHES A HIGHLY CLASSIFIED PROGRAM,

CODE NAMED "RED WAGON."

ITS GOAL:

TO FIND UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES

FOR MISSIONS TOO DULL, DIRTY, OR DANGEROUS FOR MANNED FLIGHT.

Connor: IN SEARCHING FOR SOLUTIONS,

THEY STUMBLED UPON THE LIGHTNING BUG,

A VERY CAPABLE RECONNAISSANCE PLATFORM.

Narrator: THE LIGHTNING BUGS GET THEIR FIRST TEST IN VIETNAM.

A DC-130 CARGO PLANE DROPS THE BUG FROM UNDER ITS WINGS.

THE DRONE FLIES A PREPROGRAMMED ROUTE OVER HOSTILE TERRITORY

AND SURVEYS THE LANDSCAPE BELOW.

WHEN IT'S DONE,

A HELICOPTER SNATCHES IT MID-AIR,

RECOVERING IT

AND ITS ALL-IMPORTANT PHOTOS.

[CLICKING]

[CLICKING]

Connor: THE LIGHTNING BUG

BECAME A CRITICAL RECONNAISSANCE PLATFORM

FOR BOTH THE VIETNAM WAR

AS WELL AS OPERATIONS IN CHINA AND SOUTHEAST ASIA.

Narrator: LIGHTNING BUGS

FLY OVER 34,000 MISSIONS OVER SOUTHEAST ASIA.

BY 1979, THEY'VE FALLEN OUT OF FAVOR.

Connor: UNFORTUNATELY,

AS DEFENSE BUDGETS KIND OF SHRANK

IN THE POST-VIETNAM ERA,

MANNED SYSTEMS TOOK AWAY

FROM A LOT OF UAV DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS.

Narrator: ONLY ONE BRANCH OF THE SERVICE

KEEPS FAITH IN THE TECHNOLOGY:

THE ARMY.

IN 1974, THEY PARTNER WITH LOCKHEED MARTIN

TO DEVELOP A NEW DRONE.

[BUZZING]

ITS PURPOSE:

PICKING TARGETS FOR THEIR BRAND-NEW

LASER-GUIDED ARTILLERY.

Man: OK, LOOKS LIKE WE GOT A GOOD LAUNCH.

Narrator: THE DRONE IS CALLED THE AQUILA,

LATIN FOR "EAGLE."

Connor: THE AQUILA WOULD SPOT A TARGET VIA TELEVISION FEED

TO A GROUND STATION.

IT WOULD DESIGNATE A TARGET WITH ITS LASER,

AND THEN EITHER THE MISSILE OR THE ARTILLERY ROUND

WOULD TRACK IN ON THAT.

[BOOM]

[EXPLOSION]

Narrator: BUT JUST THREE YEARS IN,

THE PROGRAM'S COST REACHES ONE BILLION DOLLARS.

Connor: THE NEW GUIDANCE SYSTEMS,

NEW METHODS OF LAUNCH AND CONTROL...

ALL OF THESE SUB-TECHNOLOGIES

HAD TO BE DEVELOPED SIMULTANEOUSLY,

AND NEARLY ALL OF THEM RAN INTO TEETHING TROUBLES

OF SOME KIND OR ANOTHER.

Narrator: IN 1987,

THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE WITHDRAWS ITS FUNDING.

Connor: BECAUSE THE AQUILA

WAS THE MILITARY'S BIGGEST DRONE PROGRAM,

ITS FAILURE GAVE DRONES A HUGE BLACK EYE.

Narrator: THE AQUILA'S DEATH IS A MAJOR SETBACK.

DRONES, IT SEEMS, ARE NOT WORTH THEIR PRICE TAG.

RESURRECTION WILL TAKE A MIRACLE.

1983.

IN THE UNITED STATES, DRONES ARE ALL BUT DEAD.

6,000 MILES AWAY IN ISRAEL, IT'S A DIFFERENT STORY.

ISRAELIS DEVELOP DRONES

THAT ARE SIMPLER, CHEAPER, AND EASIER TO OPERATE.

THEY SCOUT SYRIAN RADAR SITES.

THEY DESIGNATE TARGETS FOR ISRAELI WEAPONS SYSTEMS.

THE U.S. NAVY TAKES NOTE.

Connor: THE U.S. NAVY QUICKLY REALIZED

THAT THESE DRONES OFFER CAPABILITIES

THAT THEY HAD LONG BEEN MISSING.

AND SO QUICKLY THE U.S. NAVY

CONTRACTED WITH THE ISRAELIS TO PROCURE SOME OF THOSE,

AND THAT SOON DEVELOPED INTO A CONTRACT

FOR WHAT BECAME KNOWN AS THE RQ-2 PIONEER.

Narrator: THE PIONEER DOESN'T LOOK LIKE MUCH,

BUT JUST FOUR YEARS AFTER IT'S BORN,

IT CHANGES THE FACE OF WARFARE.

FEBRUARY 1991.

KUWAIT.

OPERATION DESERT STORM.

THE U.S.S. WISCONSIN

SITS DEEP IN THE PERSIAN GULF,

WAITING TO ATTACK.

ON DECK, ITS CREW GETS READY TO HUNT FOR IRAQI MISSILE SITES,

USING ITS BRAND-NEW DRONE: THE PIONEER.

Randal McDonald: THE PIONEER WAS A PURCHASE

TO PROVIDE GUNFIRE SPOTTING FOR THE 5-INCH GUNS

AND PARTICULARLY FOR THE 16-INCH GUNS.

Narrator: LIEUTENANT COMMANDER RANDAL McDONALD

WAS THE OFFICER IN CHARGE OF PIONEER OPERATIONS

ON THE U.S.S. WISCONSIN.

Randal McDonald: THE 16-INCH GUNS

COULD THROW A 1-TON SHELL

27 MILES AWAY.

[EXPLOSION]

IT WAS HARD TO TELL WHAT DAMAGE WAS ACTUALLY BEING DONE

WHEN YOU'RE THAT FAR AWAY,

SO OUR AIRCRAFT WAS ORIGINALLY PURCHASED

TO WATCH THE TARGET AREAS,

DIRECT THE LINE OF FIRE,

AND ALLOW THE GUNNERS TO MAKE QUICK CORRECTIONS.

Narrator: THE PIONEER TURNS OUT TO BE

THE MOST EFFECTIVE DRONE THE NAVY'S EVER HAD.

PIONEERS GUIDE NEARLY A MILLION POUNDS OF NAVY GUNFIRE

ONTO IRAQI MISSILE SITES.

BUT IT'S THE NEW AIRCRAFT'S FEAR FACTOR

THAT GIVES DRONES A WHOLE NEW REPUTATION.

Connor: ON FEBRUARY 27th OF 1991

THE PIONEER WAS SPOTTING FOR NAVAL GUNFIRE.

WHILE FLYING LOW, THEY CAME ACROSS A GROUP OF IRAQIS

WHO WERE ABLE TO SEE THE PIONEER IN THE AIR

AND WHO UNDERSTOOD THAT USUALLY WHEN ONE SAW A PIONEER

IT WAS ACCOMPANIED BY 16-INCH ROUNDS FROM THE BATTLESHIPS.

McDonald: AND THAT'S WHEN THE IRAQI SOLDIERS

STARTED WAVING WHITE FLAGS,

WHITE T-SHIRTS, TOWELS...

WHATEVER THEY COULD.

THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME IN HISTORY

THAT A HUMAN SURRENDERED TO A ROBOT.

Narrator: THE PIONEER MAKES DRONES LOOK GOOD,

BUT THEY STILL HAVE SERIOUS LIMITATIONS.

Connor: ONE OF THE BIGGEST PROBLEMS WITH UAVs

WAS THAT THEY REQUIRED LINE-OF-SIGHT COMMUNICATIONS.

SO, AS SOON AS IT WENT OVER THE HORIZON,

YOU WOULD LOSE CONTROL OF IT

AS WELL AS LOSING YOUR LIVE VIDEO FEED.

Narrator: THE SOLUTION COMES FROM AEROSPACE ENGINEER

ABRAHAM KAREM.

Connor: HE GOT HIS START IN ISRAEL

NOT ONLY DEVELOPING SOME UNMANNED SYSTEMS,

BUT ALSO DID A LOT OF WORK WITH GLIDERS AND OTHER AIRCRAFT

THAT ARE DESIGNED TO STAY UP FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME.

Narrator: IN 1994, KAREM DESIGNS A FRAME

THAT INCORPORATES SOMETHING REVOLUTIONARY

INTO THE DRONE'S BODY:

A SATELLITE SYSTEM.

HIS DESIGN IS CALLED THE PREDATOR.

Connor: ONE OF THE MOST REVOLUTIONARY THINGS

ABOUT THE PREDATOR

IS THE FACT THAT IT IS ABLE TO BE CONTROLLED

AS WELL AS MONITORED

ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE PLANET.

Narrator: WHEN THE PREDATOR FLIES BEYOND THE LINE OF SIGHT,

IT CONNECTS TO A KU-BAND SATELLITE SYSTEM.

THE SATELLITE PICKS UP INFORMATION

FROM THE GROUND CONTROL STATION

AND RELAYS IT TO THE AIRCRAFT.

THIS ALLOWS THE CREW TO CONTROL THE AIRCRAFT'S MOVEMENT

AND ITS SENSOR BALL.

THE PREDATOR SCANS THE GROUND BELOW

AND BEAMS THE VIDEO OR PHOTOGRAPHS

BACK TO THE SATELLITE SYSTEM,

WHICH THEN TRANSMITS THE IMAGES BACK TO THE CONTROL STATION

FOR THE CREW TO RESPOND.

Cluff: THE ONLY LIMITATION WE HAVE

IS THE LAG TIME IN GETTING THE SIGNAL

TO THE CONTROL STATION FROM THE AIRPLANE,

AND THAT TYPICALLY IS ANYWHERE FROM 1.5 TO 2 SECONDS.

Narrator: SATELLITE CONTROL

ALLOWS THE PREDATOR TO TAKE ITS ROVING EYE AROUND THE WORLD

AND IN MISSIONS CLOSE TO HOME...

SOME OF WHICH HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH COMBAT.

AUGUST 2013.

CALIFORNIA.

FIRE THREATENS TO DESTROY THE YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK.

Reporter: YOU'RE LOOKING AT SOME OF THE 187,000 ACRES

THAT HAS BEEN BURNED BY THE RIM FIRE.

[SIRENS]

Narrator: 50,000 FIREFIGHTERS COME OUT IN FULL FORCE.

THE FIRE IS FAST AND DANGEROUS.

FIREFIGHTERS ARE QUICKLY OVERWHELMED.

THE CALIFORNIA NATIONAL GUARD'S 163rd RECONNAISSANCE WING

STEPS IN TO HELP.

Dana Hessheimer: IT WAS SUNDAY, AUGUST 25th,

WHEN I GOT THE CALL TO SAY,

"HEY, BE PREPARED, WE MIGHT USE A MQ-1 PREDATOR

TO HELP SUPPORT THE EFFORTS AT THE RIM FIRE."

Narrator: COLONEL DANA HESSHEIMER

IS COMMANDER OF THE AIR NATIONAL GUARD'S

163rd RECONNAISSANCE WING.

Hessheimer: I WANTED TO GET OUT THERE AS SOON AS WE COULD

BECAUSE THEIR REQUEST WAS FOR PERSISTENT SURVEILLANCE.

AND WE KNEW WE COULD PROVIDE THAT FOR THEM

BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE DO EVERY DAY.

Narrator: THE PREDATOR IS NOTORIOUS FOR ITS WEAPONS.

BUT SURVEILLANCE WAS ITS FIRST PURPOSE.

IT'S DESIGNED TO HOVER

AND WATCH.

Man: THE MQ-1B PREDATOR,

ONE OF THE BIG ADVANTAGES THAT IT BRINGS,

IS IT BRINGS ABOUT 24 HOURS OF LOITER TIME,

WHICH A MANNED AIRCRAFT JUST CANNOT DO.

Narrator: THE MQ-1B PREDATOR

HAS FOUR CAMERAS EMBEDDED IN ITS BODY,

STARTING WITH ITS NOSE.

Man: NORMALLY ON TAKEOFFS AND LANDINGS

THE PILOT WILL BE USING THAT CAMERA

BECAUSE IT'S POINTED STRAIGHT OFF,

IT'S FIXED, AND IT DOESN'T MOVE.

Narrator: THE OTHER THREE CAMERAS

ARE IN THE PREDATOR'S BELLY,

ON ITS GYRO-STABILIZED SENSOR BALL.

THE FIRST IS A TWO-FOR-ONE-SPECIAL:

IT CONTAINS ONE TV CAMERA OPTIMIZED FOR DAYLIGHT

AND ONE THAT SEES IN INFRARED.

IT CAN SEE THROUGH CLOUDS AND SMOKE.

Man: MANNED AIRCRAFT NORMALLY DO NOT FLY AT NIGHT

AND THE SMOKE AND THE HAZE AND THE FIRE,

BUT WE CAN PROVIDE THAT REAL-TIME SITUATIONAL AWARENESS

THROUGH OUR FULL-MOTION VIDEO AND THE INFRARED.

Narrator: THE LAST CAMERA

OFFERS A WIDE AND ULTRA-WIDE POINT OF VIEW.

FOUR FULL-MOTION CAMERAS.

FOUR OPTIONS FOR REAL-TIME VIDEO.

Man: ULTIMATELY THE GREATEST CAPABILITY

THAT REMOTELY PILOTED AIRCRAFT BRING

IS WE NEVER HAVE TO PUT A PILOT IN HARM'S WAY.

Narrator: MARCH AIR FORCE BASE,

CALIFORNIA.

350 MILES AWAY FROM YOSEMITE,

AN MQ-1B PREDATOR TAKES OFF AND HEADS TOWARD THE FIRE.

THIS IS THE FIRST TIME

THAT THE NATIONAL GUARD HAS USED THE AIRCRAFT

TO SUPPORT CIVILIAN AUTHORITIES.

IT'S A POWERFUL ASSIST...

IF THEY CAN PULL IT OFF.

Hessheimer: I WAS ACTUALLY PRETTY EXCITED

THAT WE MIGHT HAVE THE CAPABILITY

TO ACTUALLY SUPPORT THE FIREFIGHTERS.

WE KNEW THIS WAS A CHANCE TO SHOW THE AMERICAN PEOPLE

THAT THIS JUST WASN'T A KILLING MACHINE,

BUT THAT THIS TECHNOLOGY COULD BE USED FOR GOOD.

Narrator: TWO HOURS INTO ITS FLIGHT,

THE PREDATOR REACHES YOSEMITE.

ITS SENSOR OPERATOR AND PILOT SURVEY THE FIRE BELOW.

Hessheimer: THERE WAS THOUSANDS OF FIREFIGHTERS ON THE GROUND.

SOMETIMES THE FIRE WOULD

ACTUALLY BE GOING OVER THE FIREFIGHTERS' HEADS

BECAUSE THOSE TREES WERE SO TALL,

AND THEY WEREN'T EVEN AWARE OF IT.

Narrator: THE FIREFIGHTERS ARE SPREAD OVER HUNDREDS OF MILES.

KEEPING TABS ON THEM ALL IS A CHALLENGE.

Hessheimer: ONE OF THE BIGGEST CONCERNS

OF THE INCIDENT COMMANDER WHEN THEY'RE FIGHTING A FIRE

IS TO MAKE SURE THEY KEEP TRACK OF ALL THEIR CREWS.

BECAUSE OF THE MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN,

IT'S TOUGH TO CONTINUE TO HAVE COMMUNICATIONS.

Narrator: SOON AFTER THE PREDATOR ARRIVES,

HESSHEIMER'S CREW LEARNS THAT SOMETHING ON THE GROUND

HAS GONE TERRIBLY WRONG.

Hessheimer: THE INCIDENT COMMANDER

LOST COMMUNICATIONS WITH ONE OF HIS FIRE CREWS

AND ASKED US IF WE COULD HELP FIND HIS FIRE CREW.

THE WORST THING THAT COULD HAPPEN IS OBVIOUSLY

IF THAT FIRE ENGULFED THE FIREFIGHTER CREWS

AND THEY COULDN'T GET OUT OF IT.

Narrator: HESSHEIMER QUICKLY REROUTES THE PREDATOR

TO THE MEN'S LAST KNOWN LOCATION.

Hessheimer: IT WAS SUCH A HUGE FIRE

THAT THE SMOKE PLUME WAS GOING UP TO 30,000 FEET,

BUT THE INFRARED CAMERA CAN SEE THROUGH SMOKE,

SO WE STARTED STREAMING FULL-MOTION VIDEO

TO THE INCIDENT COMMANDER.

Narrator: THE PREDATOR MOVES SLOWLY OVER THE FIRE,

SCANNING A VAST TERRITORY.

THE SENSOR OPERATOR PORES THROUGH THE VIDEO.

THE MOOD IS TENSE.

IF THE PREDATOR CAN'T FIND THE FIREFIGHTERS,

THEY MAY STAY LOST FOR GOOD.

A PREDATOR CIRCLES HIGH ABOVE YOSEMITE NATIONAL FOREST,

SEARCHING THROUGH THE SMOKE FOR A SMALL TEAM OF FIREFIGHTERS.

THE SENSOR OPERATOR NOTICES SEVERAL SMALL FIGURES

MAKING THEIR WAY UP A RIDGE LINE.

Hessheimer: WITHIN FIVE MINUTES WE FOUND THE CREW,

AND THEN WE RELAYED BACK TO THE INCIDENT COMMANDER

THAT HIS CREW WAS SAFE.

THAT'S WHEN THEY REALIZED THAT THIS WAS A GAME CHANGER.

Narrator: OVER THE NEXT SEVEN DAYS,

THE PREDATOR FLIES OVER 80 HOURS OF SUPPORT.

IT CONTINUES TO PROVE ITS WORTH WITH EVERY FLIGHT.

Hessheimer: WE HELPED THE INCIDENT COMMANDER

FIND LOST FIRE CREWS,

WE HELPED THEM SAVE YOSEMITE,

AND WE ALSO HELPED THEM LOOK AND PROTECT

CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE, LIKE THE POWER LINES.

Narrator: THE FIRE DESTROYS 250,000 ACRES,

BUT NOT A SINGLE LIFE IS LOST.

Hessheimer: YOSEMITE'S, YOU KNOW,

ONE OF THE CROWN JEWELS OF THE NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM.

SO, FOR US TO GET UP THERE AND HELP SAVE IT

WAS A HUGE THING FOR US,

NOT ONLY FOR US PERSONALLY, BUT FOR THE WORLD.

Narrator: OVER 7,000 MILES AWAY,

A VERY DIFFERENT KIND OF DRONE IS BROUGHT IN TO SAVE LIVES.

THIS TIME, BY THE U.S. ARMY.

2010.

AFGHANISTAN.

FOR U.S. TROOPS, IT'S THE DEADLIEST YEAR YET.

[EXPLOSION]

Man: OH! IED! IED!

Reporter: IN ALL THE YEARS

THAT AMERICAN TROOPS

HAVE BEEN FIGHTING

IN AFGHANISTAN,

THEY HAVE NEVER SEEN

THIS MANY IED ATTACKS.

[EXPLOSIONS]

Narrator: IMPROVISED EXPLOSIVE DEVICES

ON AFGHANI ROADS

KILL DOZENS OF SOLDIERS.

A $17 BILLION U.S. COUNTEROFFENSIVE

DOES LITTLE TO STEM THE PROBLEM.

Darren Bland: DURING OUR TOUR IN EASTERN AFGHANISTAN

IT SEEMED LIKE OUR GUYS WERE ENCOUNTERING IEDs

PRETTY MUCH EVERY DAY.

Narrator: SERGEANT DARREN BLAND

SERVED THREE TOURS IN OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM.

Bland: A LOT OF TIMES WHAT WE WOULD FIND

IS AS SOON AS WE'VE STOPPED AT ONE IED,

JUST AROUND THE NEXT CORNER OR THE NEXT BEND,

THEY'D BE PUTTING IN ANOTHER ONE.

Narrator: NOW BLAND'S UNIT HAS A NEW TOOL

TO BATTLE THE IED THREAT.

IT WEIGHS JUST 17 POUNDS,

BUT THE ARMY BELIEVES IT'S THE NEXT BIG THING.

THE RQ-20 PUMA

IS PROPELLER-DRIVEN, BATTERY-POWERED,

AND DESIGNED TO BE READY FOR COMBAT

IN ANY PLACE, AT ANY TIME.

Nick Kioutas: THEY CAN PUT THIS SYSTEM TOGETHER

IN ABOUT 15 MINUTES.

THEY'RE ABLE TO DO IT QUICKLY

WITHOUT HAVING TO CALL

HIGHER ECHELONS FOR SUPPORT.

Narrator: LARGER DRONES NEED A RUNWAY OR A CATAPULT

TO GET THEM INTO THE AIR.

NOT THE PUMA.

IT'S DESIGNED TO BE LAUNCHED

RIGHT FROM THE SOLDIER'S OWN HANDS.

EACH PUMA TEAM HAS TWO MEMBERS.

THE MISSION OPERATOR IS THE PUMA'S BRAINS.

HE USES A TOUCH SCREEN LAPTOP TO PROGRAM THE PUMA'S ROUTE.

A GPS EMBEDDED IN THE PUMA'S BODY

ALLOWS HIM TO TRACK IT ON A DETAILED MAP.

THE VEHICLE OPERATOR CONTROLS THE PUMA'S EYES.

HE USES A TABLET WITH CONTROL STICKS

TO PILOT THE AIRCRAFT

AND MONITOR WHAT IT SEES.

Kioutas: HE CAN IDENTIFY ENEMY SOLDIERS WITH WEAPONS

OR WHAT THEIR INTENT IS.

Narrator: THE PUMA MAKES A BIG PROMISE:

TO SAVE SOLDIERS' LIVES.

AFGHANISTAN IS ITS FIRST REAL TEST.

SERGEANT DARREN BLAND AND HIS UNIT

DRIVE DEEP INTO THE AFGHANI COUNTRYSIDE.

BEHIND THEM, A CONVOY OF VITAL SUPPLIES.

THE ROAD IS ONE OF AFGHANISTAN'S DEADLIEST.

BLAND'S UNIT MUST ENSURE IT'S IED-FREE.

Bland: ON THIS SPECIFIC ROUTE THERE ARE SEVERAL AREAS

THAT WERE TYPICAL SPOTS

WHERE PEOPLE WOULD TRY TO PLACE IEDs IN FRONT OF A CONVOY.

IF YOU JUST MISS ONE IED

AND ONE OF THOSE TRUCKS GETS HIT, IT'S PRETTY SERIOUS,

SO WE DECIDED TO TAKE THE PUMA ALONG WITH US

TO PROVIDE INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE

OF THE ROUTE THAT WE WERE CLEARING.

Narrator: BLAND'S HUMVEE PULLS OFF

BEFORE IT REACHES THE FIRST TROUBLE SPOT.

THE CONVOY CONTINUES ON AHEAD.

Bland: THE SPOT WE CHOSE TO FLY FROM FOR THIS SPECIFIC DAY

WAS A GOOD SPOT

BECAUSE IT WAS HIDDEN FROM THAT AREA,

AND WE COULD SEE AROUND THE CORNER BEFORE THE CONVOY COULD.

THAT ALLOWED US TO FLY AROUND, TAKE A LOOK

BEFORE THE ENEMY WOULD EVER SEE A VEHICLE.

Narrator: BLAND SCRAMBLES TO GET THE PUMA IN THE AIR.

IT RACES AHEAD OF THE CONVOY,

LOOKING FOR THREATS.

Bland: IT'S ALWAYS IN THE BACK OF MY MIND

THAT THAT CONVOY'S STILL MOVING FORWARD

AND THAT IF I DON'T IDENTIFY THE THREATS QUICK ENOUGH,

IT MIGHT BE TOO LATE.

Narrator: AT FIRST, NOTHING.

BUT THEN, THE VEHICLE OPERATOR

HOMES IN ON SOMETHING SUSPICIOUS.

Bland: AROUND THE NEXT TURN IN THE ROAD

WE NOTICED THAT THERE WERE THREE GUYS

AROUND A HOLE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD.

ONCE WE NOTICED THE GUYS IN THE ROAD DIGGING,

WE PRETTY MUCH KNEW WHAT WAS GOING ON.

THEY WERE TRYING TO EMPLACE AN IED.

WE RADIOED THE CONVOY WITH AN ALL-STOP,

WHICH MEANS EVERY VEHICLE IN THAT CONVOY STOPS IMMEDIATELY.

Narrator: SOMEHOW THE INSURGENTS SENSE THEY'VE BEEN SPOTTED.

A TEAM OF SOLDIERS DISMOUNTS FROM THE CONVOY

AND HEADS TOWARD THE INSURGENTS.

BUT WHEN THE SOLDIERS ARRIVE, THE INSURGENTS ARE GONE.

Bland: THEY MOVED UP THE ROAD

AND AROUND ANOTHER CORNER TO A VEHICLE

WHERE THEY PUT THE IED IN THE BACK OF THEIR VEHICLE

AND THEY DROVE AWAY.

Narrator: TODAY'S SCORE:

AMERICA, ONE; TALIBAN, ZERO.

Bland: THOSE GUYS COULDN'T COMPLETE THE JOB,

THEY DIDN'T GET THE IEDs IN PLACE.

BECAUSE OF THE PUMA WE WERE ABLE TO ELIMINATE ONE MORE THREAT

TO OUR SOLDIERS ON THE GROUND.

Narrator: THE U.S. ARMY CURRENTLY HAS OVER 325 PUMAS

IN SERVICE.

IN MARCH 2012,

THEY SIGNED A $20 MILLION CONTRACT FOR MORE.

Connor: THE INCREASED USE OF SMALLER UAVs,

EVEN PERSONAL UAVs ON THE BATTLEFIELD,

IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO GROW.

Narrator: THE MILITARY ISN'T THE ONLY GROUP

FINDING NEW WAYS TO USE DRONES.

THE FASTEST-GROWING MARKET IS WITH CIVILIANS.

APRIL 2012.

LIBERTY, TEXAS.

A 2 1/2-YEAR-OLD BOY HAS BEEN MISSING FOR A WEEK.

Ken Defoor: WE PROBABLY HAD AT LEAST 200 PEOPLE INVOLVED

IN BOTH THE SEARCHING AND THE OPERATION DEVELOPMENT ITSELF.

Narrator: CAPTAIN KEN DEFOOR

HAS BEEN WITH THE LIBERTY COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT

FOR FOUR YEARS.

Defoor: THIS WAS A VERY SWAMPY AREA,

IT WAS ALLIGATOR-INFESTED, SNAKE-INFESTED.

THERE'S ALL KINDS OF ANIMALS IN THERE

THAT WOULD BE DETRIMENTAL,

NOT ONLY TO A YOUNG CHILD, BUT TO THE SEARCHERS THEMSELVES.

Narrator: THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS AND HUNDREDS OF MAN-HOURS LATER,

INVESTIGATORS ARE STILL AT SQUARE ONE.

Defoor: WE HAD FOOT SEARCHERS,

ATVs, DIVE TEAMS, AERIAL SURVEILLANCES,

WE USED EVERY TECHNOLOGY AND EVERY RESOURCE THAT WE HAD.

Narrator: BUT THERE'S ONE RESOURCE

THAT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE HASN'T YET USED:

A DRONE.

Gene Robinson: MANY LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES

AND FIRST RESPONDERS

DON'T HAVE VERY LARGE BUDGETS.

IT'S VERY DIFFICULT FOR THEM TO CONSIDER

PURCHASING THIS SORT OF TECHNOLOGY

BECAUSE THEY, QUITE FRANKLY, CAN'T AFFORD IT.

Narrator: GENE ROBINSON

HAS DESIGNED UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES

FOR OVER 20 YEARS.

Robinson: THAT'S WHERE A CIVILIAN CAN COME IN

AND PROVIDE THE SAME SORT OF SERVICE

THAT A LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY WOULD NEED.

Narrator: DESIGNING DRONES

USED TO BE THE MILITARY'S TERRITORY.

TODAY, CIVILIANS MAKE THEM, TOO.

Robinson: THIS IS THE RP FLIGHT SYSTEM SPECTRA,

IT'S A FLYING WING,

AND IT'S DESIGNED TO SHOOT AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY.

Narrator: A SPECIALLY DESIGNED WING

LETS THE SPECTRA FLY FAR AND FAST.

Robinson: IT'S A FLYING WING.

IT HAS A SWEPT, TAPERED DESIGN.

IT'S VERY STRONG.

AND IT'S ALSO VERY LIGHT.

THE LIGHTER WING LOADING ALLOWS US TO CARRY A BIGGER PAYLOAD.

BIGGER PAYLOADS MEAN LONGER FLIGHT TIMES,

AND WHEN WE'RE IN A SEARCH,

WE NEED ALL THE TIME IN THE AIR WE CAN GET.

LAUNCHING IN 3, 2, 1.

[BUZZING]

Narrator: THIS TINY CRAFT CAN SOAR UP TO 12,500 FEET,

OR HOVER LOW AT TREETOP LEVELS.

BUT IT DOES HAVE A SWEET SPOT.

Robinson: THE CAMERAS THAT WE USE

HAPPEN TO HAVE THE FOCAL LENGTH

THAT FITS WITH A 400-FOOT ALTITUDE

AND GIVES US SUFFICIENT RESOLUTION

TO BE ABLE TO USE THEM IN SEARCH AND RESCUE.

THE DETAIL THAT WE CAN GET IN THOSE PICTURES

IS SIGNIFICANT.

WE GET ENOUGH DETAIL

WHERE WE CAN SEE SOMETHING AS SMALL AS A TENNIS SHOE.

Narrator: 200 MILES FROM LIBERTY,

ROBINSON VOLUNTEERS HIS SPECTRA

TO HELP SEARCH FOR THE MISSING CHILD.

Robinson: BASED ON OUR PAST EXPERIENCE,

WE FELT LIKE IT WAS GOING TO BE A RECOVERY RATHER THAN A RESCUE,

WHICH IS ALWAYS DISCONCERTING.

BUT IT'S JUST AS IMPORTANT

TO BRING THAT CHILD HOME IN ANY CASE.

Narrator: DOUBT ABOUT THE DRONE ADDS TO THE TENSION.

Robinson: THE AREA HAD BEEN COVERED VERY THOROUGHLY

AND THERE WAS GREATER POTENTIAL

THAT WE WERE NOT GOING TO BE SUCCESSFUL.

EVEN THE LAW ENFORCEMENT WERE SKEPTICS

BECAUSE THEY HAD ALREADY RESIGNED THEMSELVES

THAT THIS WAS NOT GOING TO BE SOLVABLE.

Narrator: ROBINSON KNOWS HIS SPECTRA

JUST MAY BE THE LAST CHANCE TO LEARN THE CHILD'S FATE.

Robinson: WE DON'T TRY TO GUESS THE OUTCOME OF ANY MISSIONS,

WHETHER THEY BE SUCCESSFUL OR NOT.

WE JUST GO AND TRY TO DO THE MISSION.

[BUZZING]

Narrator: A 2 1/2-YEAR-OLD CHILD IS MISSING IN TEXAS.

THE LAST CHANCE TO FIND HIM:

A DRONE.

Robinson: WE WERE ADVISED THAT THIS WAS IT,

THIS WAS THE LAST EFFORT

THAT WAS GOING TO BE MADE FOR THE SEARCH.

THEY FELT THAT THEY HAD DONE

EVERYTHING THEY COULD DO.

Narrator: ROBINSON LAUNCHES THE SPECTRA INTO THE SKY.

IT'S TIME FOR THE DRONE TO PERFORM.

Robinson: WE WERE BRIEFED AS TO WHAT THE CHILD WAS WEARING,

WE WERE TOLD WHITE JERSEY, MAROON RAGLAN SLEEVES.

THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR.

Narrator: ROBINSON INITIATES AUTOPILOT,

THE BRAIN OF THE DRONE ITSELF.

Robinson: THE AUTOPILOT THAT WE USE IN THE SPECTRA

IS A VERY SMART PIECE OF EQUIPMENT.

IT AUTOMATICALLY CALCULATES,

BASED ON THE ALTITUDE AND SPEED,

WHEN TO TAKE A PICTURE

AND GIVE US WHATEVER OVERLAP WE SPECIFY.

THIS ENSURES US 100% COVERAGE OF THE SEARCH AREA.

Narrator: TEN MINUTES LATER THE SPECTRA IS BACK.

ROBINSON QUICKLY TAKES ITS MEMORY CARD

TO HIS MOBILE HEADQUARTERS.

Robinson: ONCE WE COMPLETE A MISSION,

THE SD CARD COMES OUT OF THE CAMERA

AND COMES STRAIGHT TO THE VAN.

Narrator: SQUINTING IS A CRUCIAL PART OF THE PROCESS.

ROBINSON BORROWED THE TERM FROM THE WORLD WAR II ERA.

Robinson: WELL, WE DIDN'T REALLY HAVE A GOOD WORD TO DESCRIBE

WHAT YOU DO TO VIEW PICTURES.

IN WORLD WAR II,

WHEN THEY TOOK HIGH-RESOLUTION AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY,

THEY HAD PEOPLE WHO WOULD LOOK AT PICTURES.

AND THEY WOULD SQUINT AT THE PICTURES,

AND THEY WERE CALLED SQUINTS.

SO WE ADOPTED THAT TERM TO DOING THE SAME THING.

WE BASICALLY BRING THE PICTURE UP

AND WE SQUINT EACH LITTLE SECTION OF IT

TO SEE IF WE CAN FIND A CLUE IN IT.

WE CAN ZOOM IN TO THESE IMAGES

AND SEE THINGS ON THE GROUND.

THIS IS THE PROCESS OF SQUINTING.

Narrator: IT DOESN'T TAKE LONG BEFORE A SQUINT

POINTS OUT AN OBJECT OF INTEREST:

A RED DOT IN THE WATER.

A HELICOPTER TEAM TAKES OFF TO GET A CLOSER LOOK.

Robinson: THE HELICOPTER CAME IN,

AND THIS TIME, DIRECTED BY US, FLEW TO THE RED OBJECT.

AND AS THEY HOVERED OVER THE LAKE,

WE HAD RADIO CONTACT COME THROUGH TO THE RANGERS

THAT POSITIVE ID WAS MADE AND THE CHILD WAS FOUND.

Narrator: THE TEAM IS TOO LATE.

IT'S A DEVASTATING END TO A TRAGIC STORY.

BUT IT COULD HAVE BEEN WORSE.

Defoor: THE PHOTOGRAPHS ALSO PHOTOGRAPHED AN ALLIGATOR

WITHIN ABOUT 30 YARDS OF THE REMAINS OF THE LITTLE BOY.

SO HAD WE NOT RECOVERED THE BODY WITHIN THAT HOUR,

WE WOULD HAVE NEVER RECOVERED THAT LITTLE BOY.

Narrator: FOR ROBINSON,

THE DRONE'S PERFORMANCE IS A VINDICATION.

Robinson: WE MANAGED TO PROVE A LOT THAT DAY

AND MANAGED TO CHANGE A LOT OF MINDS

ABOUT WHAT A DRONE, UNMANNED AIRCRAFT CAN DO.

[BUZZING]

Narrator: DRONES.

44 COUNTRIES USE THEM FOR THEIR MILITARY OPERATIONS.

THE GLOBAL HAWK...

THE SHADOW...

THE HUNTER...

THE RAVEN...

THE REAPER...

THE K-MAX HELICOPTER.

THE LIST GROWS EVERY YEAR.

Swanson: ANYTHING THAT CAN BE DONE WITH A MANNED AIRCRAFT

HAS THE CAPABILITY TO BE DONE UNMANNED.

WITHIN A FEW YEARS, THEY'RE GOING TO BE DOING THINGS

THAT WE NEVER HAD IMAGINED

THAT EITHER A MANNED OR UNMANNED AIRCRAFT

MAY BE CONDUCTING.

Narrator: IN 2014 ALONE,

THE PENTAGON SPENT ALMOST $2.5 BILLION

ON DRONE DEVELOPMENT.

WITH A DRONE, THERE'S NO NEED FOR EJECTION SEATS,

LIFE SUPPORT SYSTEMS,

OR EVEN A COCKPIT.

SPACE NORMALLY RESERVED FOR A PILOT

CAN GO TO SENSORS, WEAPONS, OR EXTRA FUEL.

DRONES DON'T JUST DO WHAT THEY'RE TOLD;

SOON, THEY'LL THINK FOR THEMSELVES, TOO.

Connor: THE NEXT STEP IS GOING TO BE A BIG ONE,

AND THIS IS THE INCREASED USE OF

AUTONOMOUS FULLY ARMED DRONES,

SO THINGS LIKE THE NAVY'S X-47B.

Narrator: THE X-47B USES AN ONBOARD COMPUTER

TO TAKE OFF AND LAND.

WHEN IT'S IN THE AIR, IT PILOTS ITSELF.

Connor: THESE AIRCRAFT WILL FLY FULLY AUTONOMOUS MISSIONS,

BUT IT IS GOING TO BE A BIT FURTHER IN THE FUTURE

BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF TECHNICAL ISSUES

THAT HAVE TO BE RESOLVED,

AND IT'S GOING TO BE EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE.

Narrator: CIVILIAN DRONES HAVE EXPLODED, TOO,

CREATING AN ANNUAL MARKET

ESTIMATED AT MORE THAN A BILLION DOLLARS.

Connor: THE CIVILIAN MARKET HAS JUST COMPLETELY EXPLODED

IN FASCINATING AND KIND OF UNBELIEVABLE NEW WAYS,

WITH HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF THESE THINGS

BEING PRODUCED AROUND THE GLOBE.

THERE ARE ANY NUMBER OF NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEIR USE,

FROM REAL ESTATE AGENTS TO POWER COMPANIES

THAT WANT TO INSPECT THEIR TRANSMISSION LINES

TO POLICE DEPARTMENTS THAT WANT TO SPOT ALZHEIMER'S PATIENTS

WHO'VE WANDERED AWAY FROM A NURSING HOME.

Narrator: IT'S SCIENCE MEETS SCIENCE FICTION.

FROM THE BATTLEFIELD...

TO THE BACKYARD,

EACH GENERATION OF DRONES GETS FASTER, STRONGER, AND SMARTER.

THE NEXT TIME YOU LOOK UP AND SEE SOMETHING FLYING ABOVE YOU,

TAKE A GOOD LOOK.

IT JUST MAY BE THE FUTURE OF AVIATION.