ABSTRACT
Heraclitus of Ephesus, an ancient Greek philosopher, was noted for his observance of the constancy of change in the universe. Nowhere is that constancy more evident than in the high-tech world of unmanned aircraft systems (UASs). Advances in structural materials will focus, in large part, on composite technology and will doubt become lighter, more durable, and easier to manufacture, maintain, and repair. The ethics of such technology are, and will continue to be, hotly debated as the future reality of machines that can out-think human beings in certain ways and can even self-replicate comes into clearer focus. The aforementioned expansion of UAS market segments is dependent upon their ability to gain access to the NAS for expanded and nonsegregated flight, as well as the establishment of training and certification standards similar to those that have evolved for the regulation of manned flight.
