Summary and Final Tasks

Summary

We have now concluded the materials for Lesson 1, which walked us through the early history of UAS development. As is the case with most emerging modern technologies, we find the US defense program behind UAS development and its introduction to the civilian market. In addition, we learned about the different classifications for UAS. We also learned about the current status and the different applications of UAS.

One thing I would like to emphasize here is the fact that there is no single civilian owner of a large size UAS (such as the one used by the military, which is the size of a Boeing 737). In other words, there is a large gap between the size and sophistication of UAS used by the military and the ones used by civilians, which are characterized by smaller size and lesser sophistication. I believe that the reason behind this gap is strict regulation surrounding the operation of UAS in the National Airspace (NAS). Such a gap will diminish once civilian UAS has access to the NAS.

As for this lesson’s readings, try to read as much as you can through the materials available on the Internet, as it is a great resource. There is no one good textbook available so far on the subject. That is why I recommend buying, if you can, the two supplementary references listed under the course requirements in addition to the designated textbook.

(Note: Unless it is an online quiz or assignment, all deliverables should be organized and submitted in a Word document. Figures should be scanned and inserted in the document.)

Final Tasks