How are military drones made? If you think about a war drone as an enhanced version of the ones we have at home, you are very wrong. Military drones, like theMQ-9 Reaper they are gigantic aircraft, controlled remotely by operators who can even be on the other side of the world. These aircraft serve to carry out surveillance, gather intelligence and, in some cases, launch missiles with pinpoint accuracy. They revolutionized the way of waging war, allowing non-neighboring countries to attack each other at any time of the day, without ever stopping.
What the MQ-9 Reaper is made of and how it works
One of the protagonists of this new era of warfare is the MQ-9 Reaper, a drone with “Hunter-Killer” capabilities. This aircraft does not just locate and track a target, but can also eliminate it in a precise and targeted manner. Its technology is so advanced that it is estimated that some models can read a car’s license plate from over three kilometers away. But how does he do it?
Inside the fuselage of the MQ-9 Reaper is a sophisticated synthetic aperture radar (SAR) called Lynxwhich works like a camera, but instead of light, it uses radar waves. The drone sends pulses towards the ground, analyzing how these waves bounce off buildings, vehicles or other objects. From these reflections he reconstructs highly detailed images, visible even through clouds, rain or smoke. Its main “view”, however, is a high-resolution camera mounted under the fuselage, on a gyroscopic turret.
The system is composed of:
- a electro-optical/infrared sensorwhich captures images in both the visible spectrum, like the human eye, and infrared, identifying the heat emitted by objects;
- a laser designatorwhich “illuminates” the target with an invisible ray. Laser-guided weapons, such as the AGM-114 Hellfire missiles or Paveway bombs, follow that point of light exactly to impact, even if the target is moving. All this from an altitude of 15,000 meters, at a maximum speed between 400–480 km/h.
How to fly a drone from afar
Despite its notable dimensions — 20 meters in wingspan, 11 meters in length and almost 4 meters in height — the MQ-9 Reaper has no one on board. It works thanks to a team that includes launch personnel, communication terminals and a remote control station.
During takeoff the launch personnelwhich works directly on the runway: refuels the aircraft, checks the sensors and manages the first maneuvers via a “visual” connection, guaranteed by the communication terminalsantennas that ensure immediate transmission without delays. This type of connection is essential in low altitude maneuvers. Once the operational quota is reached, control passes to SATCOM satellite connection. The dish mounted on the aircraft sends the signal to a geostationary satellite, which retransmits it to the ground terminal and then to the remote control station. This is where the pilot and sensor operator take full command: the former manages course, altitude and speed; the second controls radar and cameras. Everything happens through joysticks and interactive screens. The environment is truly reminiscent of an arcade, but with a substantial difference: when you press a button, not a special effect starts, but a real bomb. The satellite connection introduces a slight delay in commands, but precision remains very high. And what is surprising is the operating distance: the pilot can be anywhere in the world, as long as it is covered by the military satellite network.
How do you stop a drone like that
The MQ-9 Reaper has a fuel capacity ranging between 1.8 and 2.7 tons, allowing it to remain in flight for more than 27 consecutive hoursideal for long-range surveillance and attack missions. Stopping such a drone is not at all simple. The drones they often fly at low altitude and blend into the terrain, making them invisible to radar. Additionally, the non-metallic materials they are made of make them even less detectable. Paradoxically, drones cost less than the missiles or defense systems needed to shoot them down. Thus, the armed forces have experimented with various solutions, interceptor aircraft have been used, like those of NATO, but with high costs and limited results, or the use of drones against drones, in a sort of “aerial duel” which allows the enemy to be neutralized quickly and economically. Another option is electronic warfare, specifically jamming, which jams the radio frequencies used by drones for control.
Artificial intelligence: the future of drones
The true future of war, however, could be marked by artificial intelligence. New drone models are increasingly autonomous and capable of making decisions without the direct control of a pilot. Today, human control remains indispensable in crucial decisions, but AI already allows forms of cooperation between multiple drones, the so-called “killer swarms”, capable of moving in a coordinated and strategic way. This raises new ethical questions: what happens if a drone loses control or hits the wrong target? The United States ensures that AI-based systems are traceable, transparent and governable, so as to ensure that humans always remain capable of intervening.
Despite innovations, military drones do not operate outside the rules. Their use is governed by international regulations that regulate air traffic, ensuring responsible use and limiting the risks for the civilian population. Ethical concerns and fear of escalation are legitimate, but current regulations seek to maintain a balance between technological progress and global security, ensuring that humanity never loses control of the machine.
