SlingShot unmanned aerial vehicles
 

Flight of the Extreme UAVs, From Smallest to Deadliest
By David Hambling
See related story: http://www.wired.com/politics/securi...0/gallery_uavs
10.10.07 | 12:00 AM
As unmanned aerial vehicles, or UAVs, become a staple of modern military operations, their uses and forms have grown more varied. Today they range from slingshot-launched spybots to global guardians. In fact, the acronym itself may be morphing into UAS (unmanned aerial systems) to indicate that these are not just aircraft, but systems that include ground stations and other elements.

It's not just the military that uses them -- police use the same technology for surveillance, while terrorists build flying suicide bombers. Check out the stealthiest, deadliest and highest flying drones in use today, and the UAVs that are most likely to be making tomorrow's headlines.

WASP is the smallest UAV in use today, weighing less than 300 grams. The miniaturization is achieved by the use of multifunctional components, like the combined wing/battery. WASP is nearly silent and, when flown at night, it's almost undetectable. The Air Force has just ordered several hundred for reconnaissance and bomb-damage assessment.