Tel Aviv. The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) are going to implement the use of drone swarms for combat missions. The decision has been made and now the command of the ground forces is evaluating the operational options with some Israeli companies.
Until recently this seemed like a scene from a science fiction movie. Not anymore. The reason – the new developments in drone technology, the proliferation of drones and the operational needs. Not many armed forces can afford to purchase the big UAS that can carry multi sensors payloads to satisfy the needs of different ground and air forces simultaneously.
The drone swarm technology is advancing, and while until recently there was doubt about the concept, it seems to disappear now. Drone swarms are groups of different types of drones that work together to accomplish goals, communicating with each other and assisting other members of the swarm in tasks.
When the operational demands are being backed by advanced technology, drone manufacturers are more confident to offer the performance of missions with large swarms of drones. And the Israeli industry want to take advantage of that technology that enables the operational cooperation of some drones.
In the near future, we can expect to see swarms of drones performing different types of missions.
-The writer is an Israel-based freelance journalist. The views expressed are of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of Raksha Anirveda
