All language subtitles for air.warriors.s03e03.drones.internal.720p.web.h264-underbelly[eztv]

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.