It’s hard to imagine that there are hot jobs in aerospace and aviation, considering the financial woes of the airlines. But research on all types of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs)–from reconnaissance drones that fly at 65,000 feet to low-flying, fully armed fighters–is one of the industry’s bright spots. Consulting firm Frost & Sullivan estimates that the U.S. military market for UAVs will reach almost $1 billion by 2007, up 25 percent from today. Boosters say drones could also be used for homeland security, guarding oil and natural-gas pipelines, for example.
Gvillo’s project made its first test flight in May. The 26-foot tailless craft will be programmed to perform its mission autonomously. (Predators were controlled by an operator on the ground.) Equipped with laser-guided bombs, the X-45A could destroy enemy antiaircraft guns–traditionally the military’s first and most dangerous operation. A human would make any final bombing decision, but some critics might remain uneasy about leaving important missions to unmanned machines–and it’s a lot of pressure for Gvillo. “The consequences of software that’s a little wrong could be a crashed airplane,” he says, or, more important, civilian casualties. Gvillo may have a hot job, but he’ll have to do it with a cool head.
