Flying An Unmanned Aerial Vehicle

The Predator is just like every other aircraft, you just don't ride in it.

That's the conclusion of Air Force Lt. Col. Eric Mathewson, commander of the 15th Reconnaissance Squadron at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. He should know, as his unit flies 24 of the unmanned aerial vehicles on missions around the world. Full Story.

From U.S. Civil War to Afghanistan: A Short History of UAVs

During the American Civil War, both sides tried to use rudimentary unmanned aerial vehicles.

According to Dyke Weatherington, deputy of the Defense UAV Office, Union and Confederate forces launched balloons loaded with explosive devices. The idea, he said, was for the balloons to come down inside a supply or ammunition depot and explode. Full Story.

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Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Proving Their Worth Over Afghanistan

For years, military thinkers have tried to harness the power of unmanned aerial vehicles. Changes in technology mean that members of today's military are able to put that promise to work.

Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and the services' leadership have long recognized the "transformational" capabilities inherent in UAVs. Full Story.

Background Briefing on Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

This is a background briefing to provide an overview, an update on unmanned aerial vehicles. And I have some of the smartest people in the world on these subjects.

The idea here is that this will be as "senior defense officials." And here is -- for your information only, of course, here is the senior defense official who we will hear from first. And we also have an Army official and an Air Force official. News Transcript.