Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs)

My first discussion topic actually validates a concept and a technology seen in the Harry Potter series. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles are aircraft, or some form of flying machine, that require only one input from a human to reach a destination. The vehicle only needs to be told its destination, and the computers onboard will do the rest of the flying.

The UAV uses onboard sensors such as radar altimeters, infrared cameras, gyroscopes, and pitot tube airspeed indicators to help the aircraft maintain controlled flight and avoid obstructions. UAVs also use preprogrammed topographical maps and GPS sensors to help it locate its position. Some UAVs have photos of their destination stored in their computer systems and reference those photos to confirm they have reached the appropriate destination.

Today UAVs take the shape of everything from the jet powered GlobalHawk to the tiny model airplane type UAVs.



While in Harry Potter magic takes the place of Radar Altimeters, Gyroscopes, and GPS, the technology exists to make objects fly to you on a single command. The brooms in Harry Potter have the ability to fly to Harry on his single command. This may seem magical, but the technology exists today for such an event to occur (assuming we could get brooms to fly)